I have been researching the effects of a well-known plant known as cassava since February of this year. This plant is widely cultivated in various regions around the globe, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This shrub is mainly produced for its root and it is rich in carbohydrates and various amounts of vitamins and minerals. It can also be left in the ground for extended periods of time which really helps local populations in times of food shortage. So, this crop is an important source of nutrition for millions of people worldwide but there is a rather dark side to cassava.
There exist various reports of people
becoming very ill after ingesting cassava, mainly that which was not prepared
in the correct way. Tragically, many deaths have been reported upon the
consumption of this mal-prepared cassava, and the reason as to why was not well
understood. Yet, the current literature suggests that cassava, much like other
plants, contains cyanogenic glycosides. To put it simply, these are compounds
within the cassava plant that contain a cyanide group along with the sugar. The
reason why deaths and illnesses have been reported is because in the human
body, these cyanogenic glycosides can become quite toxic when they undergo
metabolic processes. Essentially, the cyanide goes through a reaction that
produces hydrogen cyanide which is very toxic and, in substantial amounts, can
lead to cyanide poisoning and eventually death.
My current research is in the metabolism of
cyanide and its role in human systems. It is an integrative approach in that I
am also considering other things such as synthesis and connections to topics
such as the chemistry of bitter almonds. Nevertheless, the more theoretical side
of my research consists of ways to modify cassava plants to not produce the
cyanide or to minimize the cyanide overall. The pathway for biosynthesis of
these glycosides has been identified which is very helpful and it has also been
proposed that cassava makes these compounds as a form of defense. An
interesting project indeed and I look forward to sharing the completed work at
some point soon.
t
f
I always find it so interesting that one of the most important agricultural crops is deadly if prepared incorrectly. I found a paper (Njumbe Ediage et al., 2011) that brought up another potential source of illness caused by mycotoxins produced by molds on these agricultural products. One of the toxins Aflatoxin B1 can even cause liver cancer by mutating tumor suppressor gene P53. This is most likely out of the scope of your project, but it would be intriguing to see the prevalence of mycotoxins in the products and to what extent this causes illness in addition to the cyanide. I am also wondering what specifically the goal of this research is, is it just for a review paper or is it being used as a basis for studies in the lab?
ReplyDeleteYour research is super interesting, and definitely brings up a dilemma for third world areas of Africa. Aside from the plant tasting like card board, it is something that most families grow themselves due to the caloric aspects. I believe aid organizations also provide this in refugee areas, and areas of extreme famine and poverty. At the same time, I only remember it tasting like cardboard. Would the long term goal then be to produce the GMO to be widely dispersed throughout these areas?
ReplyDeleteI am also interested how this has affected people who do paleo, assuming processing the cassava removes a lot of these toxins versus individuals who choose to prepare it themselves not knowing the risks. Thanks for sharing!
Apparently the consumption of Cassava is not the only risk associated with its toxicity. Cassava must be processed and detoxified before it is stored. Due to the cyanic components of the plant, the actual production of Cassava is detrimental to the environment. This is because the waste products are often not properly disposed of, which leads to pollution.
ReplyDeleteBodies of water may become contaminated and even unfit for consumption. There have been the implementation of other safer methods of production, but they are not universally practiced. It's a real problem that needs to be solved. Thank you for spreading awareness about the toxicity of Cassava!
Olorunfemi, Daniel & Okoloko, G. & Bakare, Adekunle & Akinboro, Akeem. (2011). Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Cassava Effluents using the Allium cepa Assay. Research Journal of Mutagenesis. 1. 1-9.. 10.3923/rjmutag.2011.1.9.