Effect of local cassava drying methods on aspergillus contamination and carbohydrate content in masafu subcounty, Busia district.
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Date
2026
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Busitema University
Abstract
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important food-security and income-generating crop in Uganda, but poor post-harvest drying practices can increase fungal contamination and compromise nutritional quality. This study evaluated the effect of locally practiced cassava drying methods on Aspergillus contamination and carbohydrate content in Masafu Subcounty, Busia District, Eastern Uganda. A cross-sectional farmer survey involving 140 cassava farmers was conducted to identify commonly used drying methods, followed by laboratory analysis of cassava dried using the predominant methods. The survey showed that bare-ground drying was the most widely practiced method (64.3%), followed by tarpaulin drying (21.4%) and raised drying racks (10.7%), while roadside drying accounted for 3.6% and was excluded from laboratory analysis. Drying method had a highly significant effect on Aspergillus load (χ² = 34.003, df = 2, p < 0.001), with contamination increasing from raised racks to tarpaulin and finally bare-ground drying. All three methods differed significantly from one another. Raised drying racks achieved a 50.4% reduction in Aspergillus contamination compared with bare-ground drying. Carbohydrate content was also significantly affected by drying method (F = 39.55, df = 2, p < 0.001). Cassava dried on raised racks recorded the highest carbohydrate content (89.83 ± 1.32 mg 100 g⁻¹), followed by tarpaulin drying (68.44 ± 3.67 mg 100 g⁻¹) and bare-ground drying (56.81 ± 2.42 mg 100 g⁻¹); all three means differed significantly according to Tukey's HSD test. The coefficient of variation was 10.44%. Overall, raised drying racks provided the most favourable combination of microbiological safety and carbohydrate retention, whereas bare-ground drying produced the poorest outcomes. Compared with bare-ground drying, raised racks resulted in a reported 36.8% improvement in carbohydrate retention and 50.4% reduction in Aspergillus contamination. Therefore, the study recommends promotion and adoption of raised drying racks as a practical local drying technology for improving the safety and nutritional quality of dried cassava in Masafu Subcounty.
Keywords: Cassava, Aspergillus, carbohydrate content, drying methods, raised drying racks, food safety, Masafu Subcounty.
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Undergraduate research report
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Citation
Nakato, B. (2026). Effect of local cassava drying methods on aspergillus contamination and carbohydrate content in masafu subcounty, Busia district. [Unpublished undergraduate research report]. Busitema University.