Determination and Modeling of Proximate and Thermal Properties of De-Watered Cassava Mash (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and Gari (Gelatinized cassava mash) Traditionally Processed (In Situ) in Togo

The roasting process of Gari (Gelatinized cassava mash), a shelf-stable cassava product, is energy-intensive. Due to a lack of information on thermal characteristics and scarcity/rising energy costs, heat and mass transfer calculations are essential to optimizing the traditional gari procedure. The objective of this study was to determine the proximate, density, and thermal properties of traditionally processed de-watered cassava mash and gari at initial and final processing temperatures and moisture contents (MCwb). The density and thermal properties were determined using proximate composition-based predictive empirical models. The cassava mash had thermal conductivity, density, specific heat capacity, and diffusivity of 0.34 to 0.35 W m−1 ◦C−1, 1207.72 to 1223.09 kg m−3, 2849.95 to 2883.17 J kg−1 ◦C, and 9.62 × 10−8 to 9.76 × 10−8 m2 s−1, respectively, at fermentation temperatures and MCwb of 34.82 to 35.89 ◦C and 47.81 to 49%, respectively. The thermal conductivity, density, specific heat capacity and diffusivity of gari, ranged from 0.27 to 0.31 W m−1 ◦C−1, 1490.07 to 1511.11 kg m−3, 1827.71 to 1882.61 J kg−1 ◦C and 9.64 × 10−8 to 1.15 × 10−8 m2 s−1, respectively. Correlation of all the parameters was achieved, and the regression models developed showed good correlation to the published models developed based on measuring techniques.