STANDARDS IN FOCUS...There is a standard for cassava bread

STANDARDS IN FOCUS…There is a standard for cassava bread

Sep 18, 2016 News

As we celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month this September, the focus is on our Amerindian people and the various contributions they have made to our nation. They are known producers of cassava bread for which the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standard and Quality (CROSQ) has developed a Regional Standard.
The”Specification for Cassava Bread” was adopted by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) as a National Standard and approved by the National Standards Council. The standard specifies requirements for cassava bread and related products, intended for human consumption, obtained from the processing of bitter cassava.
The standard requires that cassava bread be manufactured, packaged, transported, stored and sold in accordance with the latest edition of the CARICOM Regional Code of Practice for Food Hygiene or other international Codes of Practice. Cassava bread shall be crisp with a uniform texture in appearance. The product shall have an agreeable flavour, typical of its type and also free from any bitter or unpleasant taste.
Cassava bread must be free from fungus or moulds, traces of insect and rodent infestations and rancid flavours or odours. When analysed for contaminants, the product must also be free from lead, cadmium, copper, iron and zinc in amounts which may present a hazard to the health of consumers.
In relation to packaging, the standard requires that cassava bread be packaged in such a way as to protect the product from breakage. Materials used inside of the package shall be new, clean and of such quality so as to avoid external or internal damage to the product. In addition, containers shall not impart any toxic substance, undesirable odour or flavour to the product.
Labelling as a requirement of the standard is also very important, particularly if cassava bread is produced for sale. A batch or lot number shall be included in the label, together with an expiry date in the form of a “Best Before” or “Use By” indicating the last date on which the manufacturer can be sure that the product will be acceptable.
Finally, the standard includes procedures for sampling of cassava bread, the determination of moisture content, determination of ash yield by incineration and the detection of cyanogenic glycosides.
The standard specification for cassava bread can be acquired by manufacturers from the GNBS, especially those manufacturers inclined to sell and export their products in the CARICOM Region. Through conformance to the requirements of the standard, our indigenous people can move beyond making cassava bread for personal consumption; organized production and promotion of cassava bread that comply with the available CARICOM standard can make the product a significant revenue earner.

For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0065, 219-0066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org or facebook/gnbsgy

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