Improvement of quality and hygienic safety of Attiéké, the fermented cassava product in Côte d’Ivoire

Projektleiter: Pierre Coulin, Basel

Attiéké as a starchy and lactic acid fermented cassava product is a staple food in many parts of throughout West Africa. Attiéké is one of only a few fermented products during that production a traditional spontaneous inoculum is used. The inoculum  consists of a broad variety of microorganisms with the dominance of lactic acid bacteria, bacillus, enterobacteria, moulds and yeasts. The inoculum has an important double function for the whole fermentation process:

• Initiation of the lactic acid fermentation
• Supplier of enzymes for the texture modification of the cassava structure

One of the most important difficulties for the traditional Attiéké fabrication is basically the use of the spontaneous traditional inoculum. Products of different qualities and therefore economic losses are often the result because of wrongly fermented Attiéké. There is also a risk of remaining quantities of poisonous cyanogenic glycosides in the final product Attiéké resulting out of an insufficient fermentation process.     

The aim of this project was the substitution of the traditional inoculum by a defined starter culture for better quality safety and reduction of income losses.   

In a multicultural team with research associates from Côte d’Ivoire and Switzerland, microbiological and biotechnological research work was carried out at the Swiss Centre of Scientific Research (CSRS) in Abidjan. For the selection of a defined starter culture, multiple degustations with final products were carried. A specified panel consisting of local Attiéké consumers and producers with very good knowledge in Attiéké production was instructed. The quality of the tested Attiéké gave the information about the inserted starter culture. Out of three selected starter cultures only with one culture an optimal fermentation result could be achieved. The quality of the final Attiéké made with this defined starter culture was even more favoured than the traditional product.      

An important next step in this project would be the implementation of such a ddefined starter culture in different villages in the South of Côte d’Ivoire. Therefore a professional training of the Attiéké producers in handling and application of such a starter is needed. Also an ongoing process optimisation as for example the integration of different Attiéké producers to a small business unit (collective fabrication, distribution and sales) would be further important implication steps. All these different optimisation ideas follow the same main goal: promotion of a local basic food for a sustainable impact in the conflict of hunger, health and dependence.  

Contact adresses:

Switzerland:

Dr. Zakaria Farah
Inst.f.Lebensmittel-u.Ernährungswissens.
Schmelzbergstrasse 9
ETH Zentrum, LFO F 23
CH-8092 Zürich
Tel: +41 1 632 53 73
Fax: +41 1 632 14 03
E-Mail: zakaria.farah@ilw.agrl.ethz.ch
Homepage: http://www.cassava.ethz.ch/

 

Côte d’Ivoire:

Université de Cocody
Prof. AGBO N’zi Georges
Directeur du Laboratoire des Aliments
UFR-Biosciences, Université de Cocody
22 BP 582 Abidjan 22
Côte d’Ivoire
Tel: +225 22 43 35 57
Natel: +225 07 70 26 41
E-Mail: agbo_nzi@hotmail.com

 

Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS) 
Dr. Andres Tschannen
Dr.sc.tech / Dipl.Ing.Agr. ETH
Directeur Adjoint Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire
01 BP 1303
Abidjan 01
Côte d'Ivoire
Tel: +225 23 47 27 95
Mobile: +225 07 00 95 50
Fax:+225 23 45 12 11
E-mail: andres.tschannen@csrs.ci