THE Philippine school children who died after eating cassava were most likely poisoned by the cyanide which exists in the root, a local farmer believes.

Investigations are continuing into the tragedy, which claimed 27 lives and made 100 others sick in a remote village on Bohol island in the central Philippines.

Yesterday, however, veteran farmer and cassava grower Tom Wadson said it was unlikely fault would be found in the way the root had been prepared.

"I'm sure it wasn't a case of the cooking of it, I would think it would more likely be the handling of the plant," he said when contacted. "Cassava is the most abundant tropical starch crop by miles. It's used for a number of things apart from just as a root cooked as a staple, tapioca for example. Consumption-wise, it is the largest consumed starch crop in the tropics by miles."

The children, all elementary students, died on Wednesday after eating fried cassava balls, a local delicacy. As reported by the Associated Press, with the nearest hospital 20 miles away, some victims died while being transported in a variety of vehicles, including three-wheel motorcycle taxis.

"The roots of the cassava plant, a major crop in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, are rich in protein, minerals and the vitamins A, B and C," the report stated. "However, cassava is poisonous unless it is peeled and thoroughly cooked.

"If it is eaten raw or prepared incorrectly, one of its chemical constituents will be attacked by digestive enzymes and give off the deadly poison cyanide. As little as two cassava roots can contain a fatal dose."

Mr. Wadson said he personally knew of no one who had died from cassava poisoning in Bermuda; it being well known that cyanide is found in the bark, or cambial layer, of the root plant. During the harvest process, the bark is peeled away from the cassava by hand, and the cyanide falls off with it.

"Clearly they blew it; somebody did a crappy job peeling it," said the Southampton farmer. "That's why we're very diligent. The issue is, if we don't do a good job peeling, it really stinks for repeat business. So you've just got to a darn good job of peeling. It's not hard to do but you have to be very diligent."