Comparative Analysis of Yam Pounding Machine and the

In this paper, traditional method of pounding yam with mortar and pestle was compared to yam pounding machine.  Random yam selection was done from a mix of new and old yam. Cooking time, temperature and pounding time were all recorded. The machine consists of a metallic casing with an electric motor sitting on a suspended floor base and connected via a pulley to a shaft and blade.  A unique modification to the concept is its water heating and cooking ability by the inclusion of a heater coil and separate water pot underneath the main bowl to generate steam for cooking of the yam before pounding which is initiated by a timer and heat sensing device. The time it took for the water to boil and cooked the yam appears the same for both traditional (manual) and machine preparation for respective yams, however, there is a sharp difference between the time it takes to pound between the traditional and machine preparation.  It took the machine preparation two (2) minutes to pound the yam irrespective of whether it is a new or old yam, whereas for the traditional method, it uses up 15 or 20 minutes to complete pounding. The machine performs its operation faster, efficiently and hygienically better than the traditional (manual) method of pounding yam.