Overview
ISO 24081:2021 specifies the requirements, sampling methods, and testing procedures for ground cassava leaves (Isombe), derived from fresh cassava leaves of Manihot esculenta Crantz or Manihot glaziovii. This international standard ensures the product's safety, quality, and suitability for human consumption. Ground cassava leaves are widely used in tropical regions, especially in soups and stews, as a nutritious leafy green vegetable.
Cassava leaves naturally contain cyanide compounds that require proper detoxification through traditional methods such as grinding and heat treatment. ISO 24081:2021 defines compositional, hygiene, and contaminant limits to guarantee consumer safety while preserving product integrity.
Key Topics
-
Scope and Definitions
The standard applies to ground cassava leaves intended for human food use and defines them as the detoxified product from fresh cassava leaves through pounding or grinding combined with heat treatment.
-
Composition and Quality Requirements
- Maximum crude ash content: 3.0% (dry matter basis)
- Maximum moisture content: 5%
- Maximum crude fiber content: 2% (dry matter basis)
- Maximum acid insoluble ash: 0.35%
- Particle size specifications for fine (90% through 0.60 mm sieve) and coarse powders (90% through 1.20 mm sieve)
- Cyanide content (hydrocyanic acid) capped at 10 mg/kg to ensure detoxification
-
Food Safety and Contaminants
- Heavy metals limits: Copper (2.0 mg/kg), Lead (0.1 mg/kg), Arsenic (0.1 mg/kg), Mercury (0.01 mg/kg)
- Compliance with pesticide residue limits as per Codex Alimentarius
- Maximum aflatoxin limits: total (10 µg/kg) and aflatoxin B1 (5 µg/kg)
- Microbiological safety requirements including absence of Salmonella and Escherichia coli, with limits on total aerobic count, yeast, and molds
-
Hygiene and Packaging
Production facilities must adhere to established food hygiene standards (CXC 1-1969). Packaging materials must preserve the product’s hygienic, nutritional, technological, and organoleptic qualities without contamination or off-flavors.
-
Labelling and Sampling
Labelling requirements align with Codex general standards for pre-packaged foods, mandating clear identification, net content, origin, manufacturer details, lot number, minimum durability date, and a statement confirming suitability for human consumption. Sampling must follow ISO 874 guidelines.
Applications
ISO 24081:2021 serves multiple practical functions for:
-
Food Manufacturers and Processors
Ensuring standardized quality for ground cassava leaves used in food processing, packaging, and distribution.
-
Regulatory Authorities
Facilitating compliance checks and market surveillance related to the safety and quality of cassava leaf products.
-
Exporters and Importers
Harmonizing trade requirements for ground cassava leaves across countries, easing international market access.
-
Quality Control Laboratories
Implementing reliable testing methodologies for compositional analysis, contaminant screening, and microbiological assessment.
-
Consumers and Nutrition Experts
Providing confidence in product safety, particularly regarding cyanide detoxification and contaminant levels.
Related Standards
- ISO 874: Sampling methods for fresh fruits and vegetables
- ISO 1026: Determination of moisture and dry matter content
- ISO 2171: Determination of ash content
- ISO 763: Ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid for fruit and vegetable products
- ISO 5498: Determination of crude fiber content in agricultural food products
- ISO 7952, ISO 6633, ISO 6634, ISO 6637: Methods for heavy metal content testing
- ISO 16050: Aflatoxin determination in foodstuffs
- Codex Alimentarius: Standards for food additives, contaminants, pesticide residues, hygiene, and labelling
Adherence to ISO 24081:2021 and its referenced standards supports the production and commercialization of safe, high-quality ground cassava leaves aligned with global food safety expectations.
