Tigernut Plant and Useful Application of Tigernut Tubers (Cyperus esculentus) - A Review

Abstract

Since thousands of years ago, millions of people enjoy chewing raw tigernut tubers (Cyperus esculentus) with less emphasis in processing the tubers into more useful products. Tigernut tuber is very common and abundant in Nigeria. It is always available in both wet and dry season. As global human population is increasing, it is pertinent to fully utilize readily available agricultural products such as tigernut tubers for the production of more useful products. Tigernut tuber is usually processed into three major useful products namely tigernut milk, tigernut flour and tigernut oil which could further be utilized to produce diverse edible and non-edible products. Several studies have been carried out by researchers to develop more useful products from tigernut tubers. The inability to effectively and adequately disseminate recent research findings to the populace as well as massively commercialize tigernut-derived products has been the bane of increased utilization of tigernut tubers in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this review article is aimed at sharing comprehensively available information on tigernut and recent research findings focused on increasing the utilization of tigernut tubers for the production of useful products.