New advice for the preparation of cassava and bamboo shoots
FSANZ has issued new advice for the preparation of cassava and bamboo shoots prior to eating. Directions or preparation instructions are now required for unprocessed cassava and fresh bamboo shoots.
Consumers should be aware of the public health concern if raw or unprocessed cassava and fresh bamboo shoots are not properly prepared prior to consumption.
Cassava
What is cassava?
Cassava is a tropical root crop similar to taro and yam. It is grown as a food source in the Pacific Island countries and Africa. It has enlarged starch filled roots, which contains about 30% starch and very little protein.
Cassava is also known as yucca, tapioca (a processed product of cassava), gaplek or manioc.
Where does cassava come from?
Cassava is primarily grown in Pacific Island countries, Latin America, Africa and parts of Asia, including Indonesia. The majority of cassava imported into Australia and New Zealand comes from Pacific Island countries such as Fiji and Tonga.
Is cassava safe to eat?
Cassava is safe to eat providing that it is prepared properly.
Raw cassava or unprocessed cassava can be a potential public health and safety risk due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in the raw or unprocessed cassava. This can lead to exposure to hydrogen cyanide and its related toxicity.
The majority of raw or unprocessed cassava imported into Australia and New Zealand comes from the Pacific Islands. These varieties normally have a low cyanide content and are known as sweet cassava.
How do I make raw or unprocessed cassava safe to eat?
Sweet cassava can be made safe to eat by first peeling and slicing the cassava and then cooking it thoroughly either by baking, boiling or roasting. Frozen cassava and frozen peeled cassava should also be prepared in this way.
Bitter cassava, usually contains higher levels of cyanogenic glycoside, and requires more extensive processing to remove the hydrogen cyanide and is not commercially traded.
Is processed cassava safe?
Yes. Processed cassava present little or no health risk as processing removes the toxins.
Examples of processed cassava are: cassava chips, cassava flour and tapioca pearls used for tapioca pudding. Tapioca pudding has been consumed traditionally in both Australia and New Zealand and has a long history of safe consumption .
Bamboo Shoots
What are bamboo shoots?
Bamboo shoots are a traditional component of Asian cuisine. Fresh bamboo shoots are cut, the outer leaves are peeled away and any fibrous tissue at the base is trimmed. They are sourced from the underground stems of the bamboo plant. There are many species of bamboo, of which only a small number are used as food.
Where do bamboo shoots come from?
Most of the bamboo shoots imported into Australia and New Zealand come from China, Taiwan, Thailand and other South East Asian countries.
Are raw or fresh bamboo shoots safe to eat?
Bamboo shoots are safe to eat providing that they are prepared properly.
Fresh bamboo shoots that have not undergone any processing can be a potential public health and safety risk due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides. This can lead to hydrogen cyanide exposure and its related toxicity.
How do I make bamboo shoots safe to eat?
Fresh bamboo shoots should be sliced in half lengthwise, the outer leaves peeled away and any fibrous tissue at the base trimmed. It should then be thinly sliced into strips and boiled in lightly salted water for eight to ten minutes.
The most common preparation involves boiling the shoots in stocks, soups or salted water for use in assorted dishes.
The popularity of using fresh bamboo shoots rather than canned, in cooking in Australia and New Zealand, has risen in recent years in tandem with the increase in popularity of Asian dishes.
Are processed bamboo shoots safe?
Yes. Canned or dried bamboo shoots are widely available in supermarkets in Australia and New Zealand, and present little or no public health and safety risk since processing liberates and removes hydrogen cyanide.
December 2004