Quality Management System Design for a Medium-Scale Cassava Flour Processing Plant in Oyo State

The quality management of cassava flour production in Nigeria requires systematic engineering and organisational frameworks to meet both domestic food safety standards and export market specifications. This study designs and evaluates a quality management system for a medium-scale cassava flour processing plant operating in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria, processing 10 tonnes of fresh cassava per day. The quality management system design draws on the ISO 22000:2018 food safety management system standard and integrates quality control checkpoints at each processing stage: reception, washing, peeling, grating, dewatering, drying, milling, sieving, and packaging. Critical control points were identified using HACCP principles, with hydrogen cyanide content and moisture content designated as primary quality indicators. Process capability analysis was conducted for the dewatering and drying stages using control charts, and standard operating procedures were developed for all critical operations. A sampling plan aligned with the Nigerian Industrial Standard for cassava flour was designed. The study also estimates the investment required to achieve ISO 22000 certification and models the cost-benefit return over a five-year horizon, finding a positive net present value at realistic production volumes. The study draws on recent food quality management literature for cassava processing industries in West Africa. Findings provide a replicable quality management framework for cassava flour processors seeking to access export markets. Keywords: quality management system, cassava flour, ISO 22000, HACCP, processing plant