Manioc

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/manioc

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the botanical classification?A perennial shrub in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), genus Manihot
2. What is the primary edible part?The starchy, tuberous root
3. What is manioc and where does it come from?Manioc is a starchy root that comes from the Amazon basin in Brazil. People have grown it for at least 5,000 years.
4. Why do people need to detoxify manioc before eating it?Manioc has bitter compounds that can be poisonous. Soaking, fermenting, grating, and cooking the root removes the toxins and makes it safe to eat.

Vegetative Propagation: A form of asexual reproduction in plants, using parts like stems or leaves instead of seeds.
Cyanogenesis: The process by which certain plants release toxic hydrogen cyanide when their tissues are damaged.
Food Security: The condition of having reliable access to sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
Biomass: Organic matter derived from plants or animals that can be used as a source of energy.