What You Need to Know
The alkaline environment of potassium carbonate in ash promotes the hydrolysis of linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside, yielding glucose and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Heating the slurry to 100–120 °C for 30–60 min accelerates this reaction, allowing HCN to volatilize and be removed from the product. Precise ash concentration and cooking time are critical to achieve >90 % cyanide reduction while preserving palatability.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Hydrolysis of linamarin to produce hydrogen cyanide and glucose