Assessing the effectiveness of ash soaking in reducing hydrogen cyanide (HCN) levels in cassava peel

This research aims to investigate the effects of soaking and drying cassava peel with absorbent material (ash) to reduce HCN levels, as well as to determine the concentration of ash and the duration required for HCN reduction. The study was conducted with two factors: the level of ash usage and the duration of soaking and drying. Cassava peel was soaked and dried with ash levels of 0, 5, 10, and 15 dry matter for 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours, respectively. The HCN content of cassava peel was tested using factorial pattern analysis of variance (ANOVA) as the research design. If there were treatment differences, a new Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was performed. The results of the study indicate that soaking and drying cassava peel with varying concentrations and durations of ash significantly reduced HCN levels (p<0.05) compared to the control group. The best results in reducing HCN have been achieved by soaking cassava peel with 10 ash for 48 hours (T1) and drying cassava peel with 15 ash for 48 hours (T2). Both underwent in vitro analysis of In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD) and In Vitro Organic Matter Digestibility (IVOMD), as well as evaluation of rumen fermentation characteristics. Based on the in vitro results, it can be demonstrated that the reduction in HCN also improves feed efficiency, as evidenced by increased levels of IVDMD, microbial protein, and Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) (p<0.05). © 2024, Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved.