Chemical Composition of Cassava Starch Flour and Sensory Evaluation of Soup Made with the Flour

Although cassava (and its derivatives) is widely recognized as a global staple, itschemical characteristics and culinary performance can vary significantly, affectingboth its nutritional value and its acceptance as an ingredient in meal preparation. Thisstudy evaluated the chemical composition of cassava starch flour derived fromManihot esculenta and assessed its sensory performance as a thickening agent inNigerian Oha soup. The study design was quasi-experimental, and standard methodswere used for chemical analysis. Data were analysed in IBM SPSS, version 23.0, usingmeans and standard deviations. Proximate analysis revealed that cassava starch flourcontained lower total carbohydrates (70.13%), but higher moisture (12.78%), crude fat(3.10%), crude protein (8.65%), ash (2.09%), and crude fiber (3.25%) when compared tothe conventional thickener, cocoyam flour. Cassava starch flour demonstrated higherlevels of vitamin B1 (0.15mg/100g), B2 (11.45mg/100g), B9 (0.50μg/100g), and E(15.75mg/100g) compared to cocoyam flour. Mineral analysis revealed a higher ironcontent (6.62mg/100g) in cassava starch flour compared to cocoyam flour. Althoughwithin stipulated standards, cassava starch flour contained higher levels of anti-nutrients such as, tannins (128.25 ± 0.21 mg) and cyanogenic glycosides (5.35 ± 0.07mg), but lower amounts of phytates (159.15 ± 0.21 mg). The sensory evaluationindicated that soup thickened with cassava starch flour received higher scores fortaste, colour, flavour, texture, and general acceptability, comparable to soups preparedwith cocoyam flour (control). This study concludes that cassava starch flour containslower carbohydrates but has higher vitamins and iron content and is more generallyacceptable than cocoyam flour. The high content of anti-nutrients in the cassava starchflour suggests the need to optimize processing methods to reduce anti-nutritionalcomponents while maintaining their functional and sensory properties.