Characterization of Cassava Flour with Protein Concentrate Prepared from the Leaves of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

The use of biomass has become a concern world-wide, especially in Brazil, a country rich in diversity and quantity of food. However, thousands of Brazilians are still hungry, while much of the biomass is wasted. This is especially true in subsistence cultures. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an excellent example. During the harvest all its shoots are left in the field. The leaves of this plant contain important nutrients that can be used in the diet, such as the protein concentrate (PC) portion. Given the nutritional importance of cassava flour for the Brazilian population, the aims of this study were to produce and characterize the cassava flour with PC. Using the cassava leaves PC increases the nutritional value and takes advantage of what was once just an agricultural waste. Adding PC promoted a significant increase in the amounts of protein, ash, lipids, fiber and acidity, and decreased the starch content. The PC did not have high enough cyanide levels to be considered dangerous and it was free from microbiological contamination, in accordance with Brazilian laws. The application of PC was effective in increasing the protein quality of cassava flour, a product essentially consumed for the energy and power it provides to Brazilians, especially the north and northeast, where the incidence of malnutrition is higher.