Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is the staple food of more than 300 million people in the world. Though cassava is utilized in a variety of ways, scientific books of any category written on the postharvest aspects of cassava are relatively few. The effect of this paucity was strikingly felt during recent years. This was one of the impelling reasons behind the present venture which, it is hoped, will stimulate other publications on this neglected crop.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is the staple food of more than 300 million people in the world. Though cassava is utilized in a variety of ways, scientific books of any category written on the postharvest aspects of cassava are relatively few. The effect of this paucity was strikingly felt during recent years. This was one of the impelling reasons behind the present venture which, it is hoped, will stimulate other publications on this neglected crop.

Fermented foods play a major role in human nutrition and health, given the addition of flavor, improvement of texture, preservation against spoilage, and ease of digestion due to the fermentation process. This book provides information about the chemistry and bioactive compounds of African fermented food products, including their nutritional value and minor constituents. Chapters cover a wide range of topics, from the microorganisms involved in spontaneous fermentation to food safety considerations and quality assessment. The text can be used as a practical manual to better understand the nutritional and medicinal uses of various African fermented foods, as well as prepare recipes and product labels.

Cassava is Africa's second most important food crop. The cassava transformation that is now underway in West Africa is fueled by new high yielding TMS varieties that have transformed cassava from a low-yielding, famine-reserve crop to a high-yielding cash crop for both rural and urban consumers. The book highlights the role of cassava as a "poverty fighter" by increasing cassava productivity and driving down the cost of cassava in rural and urban diets.