Gut flora composition and function may impact susceptibility to konzo, a neurological disease caused by world staple crop cassava (IMAGE)

Children's National Hospital

Gut flora composition and function may impact susceptibility to konzo, a neurological disease caused by world staple crop cassava

Caption

From left to right: Dr. Nicole Mashukano and Dr. Matthew Bramble Dr. Mashukano leads the efforts in Kahemba to teach the wetting method to individuals in different health zones. The wetting method is used as an additional step to further detoxify toxins from cassava flour prior to consumption. Here, Dr. Mashukano and Dr. Bramble are spreading out the wet mixture of cassava flour and water into a thin layer on a tarp for drying in the sun, which allows cyanogen breakdown and release in the form of hydrogen cyanide gas.

Credit

Brambel et al. Children's National Hospital, Nature Communications (2021).

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