Effect of processing on the mycoflora and aflatoxin B1 level of a cassava-based product.

Cassava bread was prepared by pre-gelling, battering and baking cassava flour to which were added, in moderate amounts, sugar, yeast solution and edible oil. Baking was at 215 degrees C for 40 min. No mould was isolated from the cassava bread and the mean value of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) for the three subsamples of cassava bread was 0.03 microgram/kg. The cassava tuber (Manihot esculenta Crantz), which was used for the production of cassava bread had an initial AFB1 level of 1.91 micrograms/kg and the dominant mycoflora were Penicillium oxalicum, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium spp and some unidentified fungi.