Abstract
The distinction between “bitter” and “sweet” (toxic and non-toxic) varieties of the cyanide-containing food crop manioc (Manihot esculenta, Euphorbiaceae) has a long tradition in the tropical forest areas of South and Central America where it was first cultivated. Yet this distinction has no taxonomic basis. The levels of cyanogenic glucosides found in manioc varieties not only vary widely, but do not correspond with any other known morphological or ecological feature. Nonetheless, these two “varieties” are commonly reported to have distinct geographical and cultural distributions and each is associated with a particular traditional food complex. This paper reviews the literature regarding the nature, distribution, and traditional uses of manioc varieties and concludes that (1) the geographical and cultural distribution of bitter and sweet varieties of manioc may not be as distinct as has been thought; (2) traditional categories of bitter and sweet manioc may stem more from culturally derived belief systems than from actual known levels of toxicity; and (3) the choice of complex and labor intensive processing methods usually associated with bitter manioc may not be required for detoxification but rather for the derived food products, particularly manioc flour.
Resumen
La diferenciación entre las variedades de la yuca (Manihot esculenta, Euphorbiaceae) “amarga” y “dulce” (tóxico o no tóxico) han sido una tradición de muchos siglos para este articulo de cultivo principal (que contiene cianuro) de los habitantes autóctonos de las selvas tropicales de A mìrica del Sur y Central. Hasta ahora, la diferenciación no ha sido en bases a las caracterìsticas taxonomicas. Los nivel’s de glucósidos de cianuro encontrados en las variedades de la yuca no solamente varían mucho pero ni corresponden a las características morfológicas o ecológicas. Sin embargo, estas dos “variedades” han sido renombradas por tener distribuciónes geográficas y culturales diff’rentes según la ubicación, y cada una corresponde a un sistema de agricultura tradicional de las poblaciones Indigenas. Este trabajo revisa la literatura sobre las caracteristicas, distribución y usos tradicionales de las dos variedades de yuca y concluye que (1) la distribución geográfica y cultural de las variedades de; yuca amarga y dulce no son tan clams como la literatura ha presentado; (2) las categorías tradicional de la yuca amarga y dulce puede ser un producto más derivado de los sistemas de creencia culturalmente definidos que del grado real de toxicidad; y (3) la selección de los m’todos de procesamiento complejos y entensivos normalmente asociados con la yuca amarga parece que no es requerido para la destoxificación sino para el tipo de productos derivados de esta, particularmenta la harina de yuca.
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Nye, M.M. The mis-measure of manioc (Manihot esculenta, Euphorbiaceae). Econ Bot 45, 47–57 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02860049
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02860049