Condensed tannins and cyanide are two antinutritional factors in cassava leaves that reduce the nutritional
quality of the leaf meal. The effects of certain physical and chemical treatments in reducing the levels
of these in cassava leaves were studied. Drying at 60 "C could reduce the assayable tannin content a
considerable extent. Wilting the whole branches under shade for 16 h followed by drying the detached
leaves at 60 "C was even more advantageous in reducing the levels of these toxic principles. Chopping
of the wilted leaves retained a higher percentage of cyanide on drying compared with the drying of wilted
whole leaf blades. Highly significant reduction in assayable tannin levels could be brought about when
the leaves were sprayed with either sodium hydroxide or ammonia. Since the residual alkalinity of the
sodium hydroxide treated leaves was high, ammoniation seems to be the best practical method for reducing
the assayable tannins from cassava leaves.