Food

and

Agriculture

Organization

of

the

United

Nations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

R  E  P  O  R  T

 

 

 

 

SMALL-SCALE PROCESSING OF STARCHY

 

STAPLES IN CARICOM COUNTRIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynda D. Wickham, Ph.D.

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMALL-SCALE PROCESSING OF STARCHY

 

STAPLES IN CARICOM COUNTRIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynda D. Wickham, Ph.D.

Senior Lecturer

Department of Food Production

Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences

University of the West Indies

St Augustine

Trinidad

West Indies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©FAO, 2001

 

The data and views expressed in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in connection with the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its Authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

FOREWORD

 

INTRODUCTION

I

TROPICAL STARCHY STAPLES PRODUCED IN THE CARICOM REGION

 

Production and Usage Patterns

 

Bananas and Plantain

 

Arrowroot

 

Breadfruit

 

Breadnut

 

Yams

 

Cassava

 

Sweet Potato

 

Edible Ariods

II

ROLE OF STARCHY STAPLES IN THE FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION OF THE CARICOM REGION

 

Contribution to Regional Food Security

 

Contribution to Nutrition

 

Cyanide Toxicity in Cassava

 

Acridity in the Aroids

 

Toxic Substances in Yams

 

Phytate in the Tropical Root Crops

III

CURRENT STATUS OF PROCESSING STARCHY STAPLES IN THE REGION

 

Cassava

 

Farine

 

Cassava Bread/Bammy

 

Cassava Flour

 

Snack Chips (Crisps)

 

Casareep

 

Cassava Starch

 

Other Products

 

Banana and Plantain

 

Banana and Plantain Chips

 

Banana Drinks

 

Banana Cakes and Breads

 

Plantain and Banana Wines

 

Breadfruit

 

Breadfruit Chips

 

Pre-cooked (wasted), Vacuum-packed Breadfruit and Breadfruit Slices

 

Yams, Eddoes and Tannia

 

Marketing and Locally-produced Processed Products in the Region

 

Major Constraints to Processing of Starchy Staples in the Region

IV

REGIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ON VALUE ADDITION TO STARCHY STAPLES

V

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADDING VALUE TO TROPICAL STARCHY STAPLES IN THE REGION: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL

 

Current and Potential Methods of Utilization of the Commodities

 

Current and Potential Availability of Raw Materials

 

Current Level of Processing and Marketing of the Processed Commodity

 

The Relative Success of Established Enterprises

 

Past and Other Experiences – Case Studies

 

The Case of Cassava Chips Production by Sesame Foods, Trinidad and Tobago

 

The Case of Victor Xavier Nicholas Industries

 

The Case of Charms Farine in Tobago

 

Product Quality Considerations and Factors Affecting Them

 

Quality Concerns for Cassava Products

 

Quality Concerns Related to Use of Equipment

 

The Level of Technology Available

 

Recommended Value-Added Products

 

Snack Foods

 

Convenience Items

 

Food Ingredients

 

Starch

 

Alcohol

VI

RECOMMENDED PRODUCT TYPES

 

From Banana and Plantain

 

From Breadfruit

 

From Yam

 

From Cassava

 

Bread/Bammy

 

Farine

 

Flour/Starch

 

Frozen Cassava

 

Frozen grated Cassava

 

Quick-mix, powdered, flavoured soup thickeners

 

From Sweet Potato

 

From Dasheen

 

From Eddoes

 

From Tannia

VII

NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

 

The Case of Sweet Potato in Malaysia