Cassava Cyanide Diseases Network (CCDN)
Towards the elimination of Konzo, TAN and other cassava cyanide diseases

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Summary of kits and posters available

A number of simple picrate kits have been developed for determination of total cyanide in various plant sources including cassava roots, cassava products such as flour and gari, cyanogenic leaves, bamboo shoots and flax seed (linseed) meal, as well as urinary thiocyanate. Each kit A-G is set up to allow 100 analyses to be carried out. We have developed simple methods for preparation of linamarase from cassava latex and linamarin from very young cassava leaves.

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) funded the research and development of   kits A to G and also supply of the kits, free of charge to agriculturalists and health workers in developing countries. This funding ceased in 2004 but the free offer is still available. Kits A, B2, D1, E, F and G may also be purchased by workers in developed countries for Australian $400. More than 400 free and half as many purchased kits have now been supplied to workers in over 30 countries.

Kit AA explains the wetting method to remove cyanide from cassava flour and allows measurement of the amount of cyanide left in the flour. It allows 25 analyses using the colour chart and is available free of charge to workers in developing countries and for Australian $250 in developed countries.

Kit AA: Wetting method to remove cyanide from cassava flour and to measure amount left. Protocol AA (PDF File)

Kit A: Determination of total cyanide in cassava roots. Protocol A (PDF File)

Kit B2: Determination of total cyanide in cassava products (flour, gari, etc). Protocol B2 (PDF File) see Monitoring of cyanide content in cassava roots and flour using picrate kits

Kit D1: Determination of thiocyanate in urine. Protocol D1 (PDF File) see Urinary thiocyanate content and mean daily consumption of flour

Kit E: Determination of total cyanide in leaves. Protocol E (PDF File)

Kit F: Determination of total cyanide in bamboo shoots. Protocol F (PDF File)

Kit G: Determination of total cyanide in flax seed (linseed). Protocol G (PDF File)

Protocols AA, A, B2 and D1 are also available in French, Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesia.

Posters: Multiple copies of a laminated colour A4 poster are available for free that tell about cyanide poisoning and konzo and show how to use the wetting method to remove cyanide from cassava flour. The poster is available in Poster English, Poster French, Poster Portuguese, Poster Macua, Poster Kifuliru, Poster Kiswahili and Poster Ateso.

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