This is the theme of the conference-debate organized by the General Secretariat for Research of the University of Kinshasa, this Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

During this scientific meeting, several researchers refuted the thesis widely circulated on social media that cassava makes you "stupid." They demonstrated that proper processing and rigorous detoxification of cassava allow you to fully reap its nutritional benefits.

Experts from various disciplines related to the subject enriched the discussions with their contributions on detoxification methods and appropriate consumption methods.

Professor Marie-Claire YANDJU DEMBO, Secretary General for Research at the University of Kinshasa, keynote speaker, focused her presentation on scientific advances in improving cassava detoxification techniques. The keynote speaker emphasized that cassava, if poorly or not detoxified, can be harmful to health due to the presence of cyanogenic compounds in all its parts, whether sweet or bitter. She specified that complete detoxification of cassava is possible by respecting specific physicochemical conditions that promote the release of cyanide ions, the formation of hydrocyanic acid during retting, and its elimination by drying or cooking.

Among the effective methods, she mentioned controlled fermentation using a micro-ferment (MCY), which can transform fresh cassava even in 24 hours, thus eliminating 100 % of cyanides and enriching the product with proteins and other nutrients. She also recommends that cassava always be consumed with a source of protein rich in sulfur amino acids, such as methionine and cysteine, to compensate for its low content of these essential nutrients.

A moment of interactive discussion, dedicated to questions and answers, convinced the audience of the benefits of cassava, both for cooking and for the production of bread flour.

The objective of this conference-debate was to demonstrate and popularize, among all Congolese involved in the production, processing and consumption of cassava, the nutritional virtues of this tuber. Cassava is establishing itself as a strategic raw material for the industrial development of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"To address food insecurity in all its forms, we simply need to rigorously apply the various cassava detoxification techniques," concluded Professor Marie-Claire YANDJU.

For his part, Professor OKITUNDU, Director of the National Center for Health Promotion (CNPP), demonstrated that cassava leaves possess antioxidant properties beneficial for brain health. He specified that the CNPP particularly recommends that senior citizens consume them daily, given their high nutritional intake.