Cassava chips are a snack made from thin slices of fried cassava, especially popular in parts of South America and the Caribbean.
Cassava, also called yuca or manioc, is a starchy root crop native to South America. To make chips, the root is peeled, sliced thinly, and fried or baked. The finished snack is usually seasoned with salt and has a crisp texture similar to other root-vegetable chips.
Cassava must be properly processed before eating because raw and inadequately prepared cassava can contain cyanogenic compounds that release hydrogen cyanide. Commercial chip production uses appropriate peeling, cooking, or processing methods to make the product safe.
Cassava chips differ from plantain chips because they come from a root rather than a fruit. They are also distinct from tapioca snacks, which use starch extracted from cassava rather than thin slices of the whole root.