ISO 24081:2021

Ground cassava leaves (Isombe) - Specification

This document specifies requirements and methods of sampling and testing for ground cassava leaves, which are obtained from the processing of fresh cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta Crantz or Manihot glaziovii) intended for human consumption.

Feuilles de manioc émincées (Isombe) — Spécification

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 21-Jan-2021
• ICS: 67.080.20 - Vegetables and derived products
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 34/SC 3 - Fruits and vegetables and their derived products
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 34/SC 3 - Fruits and vegetables and their derived products
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 22-Jan-2021
• Due Date: 25-Apr-2022
• Completion Date: 22-Jan-2021

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO/ASTM FDIS 52959 - Additive manufacturing of metals — Test artefacts — Compression validation specimens for lattice designs
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2023

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.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 24081
First edition
2021-01
Ground cassava leaves (Isombe) —
Specification
Feuilles de manioc émincées (Isombe) — Spécification
Reference number
©
ISO 2021
© ISO 2021
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ii © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Essential composition and quality factors . 2
4.1 Raw material . 2
4.2 Essential composition factors . 2
4.3 General quality factors . 2
4.4 Specific quality factors . 3
4.4.1 Particle size . . 3
4.4.2 Hydrocyanic acid content . 3
5 Food additives. 3
6 Contaminants . 3
6.1 Heavy metals . 3
6.2 Pesticide residues . 3
6.3 Mycotoxins . 3
7 Hygiene . 4
8 Packaging . 4
9 Labelling . 4
10 Method of sampling . 4
Bibliography . 5
Foreword
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Fruits and vegetables and their derived products.
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iv © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Cassava, originally from Brazil, is a staple root crop throughout the tropics where it is used in a variety
of dishes. Cassava is grown overwhelmingly for its roots and is found in markets.
In some countries there is a market for cassava leaves, where it is used in soups and stews. Cassava
contains cyanide, which varies greatly among cultivars and needs to be detoxified before human
consumption. Cassava roots are cooked and this sufficiently detoxifies them. Cassava leaves also
contain cyanide,
...