:Evaluation of the effects of processing on levels of selected pollutants in garri

Abstract

Human health is an outcome of the trio of the environment, individual susceptibility and time. Contamination of cassava (Manihot esculenta) roots by the environment or during processing presents health hazards. This study evaluates the effects of processing on the level of selected pollutants in Gari diet and the effect on selected organs of albino rats. Cassava tubers from Kokori and Ogbomoso were varied in the method of processing to produce Gari. Gari and fish samples sundried in the vicinities of flared gas were used to produce four nutritionally similar Gari/Fish diet regimen. Twenty-four, 28-day old male albino rats were divided into four groups of six, each to fit into four diet regimen and acclimatized for a 7-day period on commercial rat feed. The four groups were afterwards placed on different diet regimens for 13 weeks during which the body weight and food intakes were measured weekly. Results show that the least percentage weight gain (27.9%) occurs in Diet IV-Kokori/SPDC followed by Diet II-Kokori (37.4%), Diet III-Kokori/ Ogbomoso (44.7%) and Diet I-Ogbomoso (55.3%) in ascending order. Albino rats on Diets II and IV had a negative food utility index and high concentrations of nickel, lead, cadmium and chromium were found in the feed formulation. The levels of toxicants differ with the processing method and protein efficiency ratio varied with the processing method. Examination of selected organs show clinical anomalies. The study reveals that pollutants load in gari-diet depend on the environment of cultivation and the method of processing.