Mandioca e seus derivados: aspectos alimentares e afetividades envolvidas no processo produtivo

Abstract

The manioc, Manihot esculenta Crantz, is a plant of the Euphorbiaceae family, popularly known by several nomenclatures depending on the region, carries a rich historical baggage in Brazil, regarding its cultivation and uses of its derivatives. The present work aims to describe the consumption of cassava and its derivatives in the context of the producers participating in the study and draw attention to the memories and the affective value that is attributed to the flour production process in the labor relations involved. Methodology: This is an exploratory-analytical study of a qualitative nature, developed from a field research with cassava producers and producers from three rural communities located in the municipality of Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia. Results and discussion: The analysis of the interviews points to a great appreciation for the flour and, consequently, for its marked presence in everyday food practices. Besides the flour, other products derived from cassava are also part of the food universe that makes up the subjects' daily lives. The dimension of affectivity was observed in the reports on the production process of the mandioculture, especially with regard to the flour manufacturing rituals. Final considerations: The cultivation of cassava, its consumption and its derivatives are recognized as important for the rural producers and producers, as well as the existence of a nostalgia for the relationships involved during the work in the flour houses, for a lifetime, where all relations of that group are linked to the production of this food.