Cassava, yuca, or manioc (Manihot Utilissima) is an annual shrub from the United States that produces tubers that come from growing roots. Cassava has an average tuber size of 2-3 cm in diameter with a length of 50-80 cm. Cassava tubers usually have an oval shape with the inside of the tuber is white or yellowish. Cassava skin has a white color, but if it has been exposed to the air can turn into purplish.

While the epidermis or thin skin on the outermost cassava has a brown color. Symptoms of damage to the tubers are marked by the appearance of dark blue color caused by the formation of the cyanide acid that is a toxic to the human body.

This cassava plant is very popular in Indonesia. Cassava is usually grown in the garden or in every rice field bunds. Almost all parts of cassava plant can be utilized. Cassava tuber can be consumed by eaten directly or processed into many traditional snacks such as gethuk, thiwul, tape or others. 

Cassava leaves is also widely used as vegetables in a soup or dishes. While cassava stems are often used as firewood as well as the source of cassava planting itself. But make no mistake, there is one part of cassava that can still be used although often neglected, it is cassava skin.

Nutritional Content of Cassava Skin

It is known by a research that the skin of cassava is about 16% of all the cassava and it has some nutritional content that make it very useful to start a healthy life and healthy environment, such as:

• Gross Protein 4,8 %
• Gross Fiber 21.2 %
• Ether Extract 1,22 %
• Ash 4,2 %
• Extract without N 68 %
• Ca 0,36 %
• P 0,112 %
• Mg 0,227 %
• Energi metabolis 2960
• BK 17,45%
• Protein 8,11%
• TDN 74,73%
• SK 15,20%
• Fat 1,29%

The amount of thenutritional contens that contained in each stem of cassava might be different due to its size, type, and variety, but no doubt the benefits are all the same.

Benefits of cassava peels

Although often considered to be almighty, but cassava skin has many benefits, you know! This article will inform you about the various benefits of cassava skin, among others:

1. As Animal Feed

Benefits of cassava peels, can be used as an additional food for livestock and field grass replacement. The use of cassava skin as alternative fodder is due to cassava skin has the potential to contain cyanide acid. The total cyanide content in cassava skin is in the range of 150 to 360 mg HCN per kg of fresh weight, but the amount of the content varies depending on the varieties of the cassava plants.

While sheep cattle are able to tolerate cyanide acid at a concentration of 2.5-4.5 ppm per kg of live weight. In another study also mentioned that the safe consumption of cyanide acid from toxic effects is below 30 ppm. The high content of cyanide acid on cassava skin can lead to potential poisoning in livestock when consumed. However, this cassava skin has a high carbohydrate content that is believed to be useful to fatten livestock. 

2. As Organic Fertilizer

Instead of just left and then rot, cassava skin can be used as organic fertilizer or compost. In addition to beneficial for soil fertility, cassava leaf compost can be useful as a nutrient that helps the growth of plants and can be useful as an insecticide for plants.

The compost of cassava leaf has the required plant content, including C (59,31%), H (9,78%), O (28,74%), N (2,06%), S (0,11%) and H2O (11.4%).

3. Bio Energy

Benefits of cassava peels, is one source of bioethanol derived from fibrous material that can be used as fuel substitute oil such as gasoline and diesel. This bioethanol-making technology is processed through acidic and enzymatic hydrolysis that supports government programs on the provision of renewable non-fuel oil as a substitute for gasoline and diesel. 

However, further research is needed on the process of making bioethanol through acid and enzymatic hydrolysis to produce bioethanol that is of good quality and environmentally friendly.

4. Reduces Heavy Metal Dangerous Content

Cassava husk can also be used as a material capable of reducing heavy and dangerous metals such as lead (Pb (II)), copper (Cu (II)) and cadmium (Cd (II)). The metals are said to be heavy and dangerous because their small concentrations can be toxic and harmful. These dangerous heavy metals are indicated to enter the body through respiration, food and beverages. 

5. For Making Paving Block

Although often considered trivial, cassava skin was able to be utilized as one of the building materials is paving block. Making paving block from cassava skin is a creative idea that can reduce the problem of waste from cassava leather as well as an alternative due to the increasing demand for building materials.

6. Water filter

Based on research Semarang Semesta Bilingual Boarding High School students, the content of activated carbon on cassava skin and pores that many and large to make cassava skin is able to remove the smell and color of turbid water. Activated carbon on cassava skin is able to absorb as many as 99.98% of copper valley content.

Activated carbon is usually shaped crystals and powders that have pores. Well these pores that serve to absorb magnetic substances and purify water from the cloudy color and eliminate odor on the water.

7. Food material

Benefits of cassava peels, contains nutrients that are beneficial to the body so it can be used as food that has high selling value. In general, cassava skin is used as chips. But the people of West Java create creations of cassava snacks in the form of beef jerky cassava. High carbohydrate content in cassava skin makes it is also safe for human consumption. 

So, that’s the information that we can convey about the benefits of cassava skin. Once you know the various benefits, it would be wise if you do not immediately remove the cassava skin but utilize it to its full potential. Thank you for reading.