Native Tapioca Starch

Brief Overview

Starch is obtained naturally through extraction from the grain or root of cassava, a root vegetable. It is often commercially sold in the form of a dry powder and its grade varies based on the type of application it is being used for. However, often it is used in the food industry due to the lack of certain properties that are needed in other industries. Native starch is the starch chain extracted from raw material in its original form.

Manufacturing Process

Production of tapioca starch can be separated into 3 different stages, namely preparation and extraction, purification and water removal. In the preparation and extraction process, the cassava roots are washed and peeled, whereby the pulp is strained with the addition of water. Subsequently, purification of the extracted starch is carried out using the process of sedimentation and centrifugation. The last stage involves the removal of water which is carried out through drying.

Adhesive and Glue Industry

Starch makes a good natural adhesive. There are two types of adhesives made of starches, modified starches and dextrins for roll-dried adhesives and liquid adhesives. Tapioca Starch is popular in the adhesive industry due to its appreciable binding capacity due to its high viscosity sticky properties when mixed with water or certain chemicals.

Food Industry                                          

Native starch is used in confectionery for different purposes such as gelling, thickening, texture stabilizing, foam strengthening, crystal growth control, adhesion, film foaming and glazing. Modified tapioca starch is used as a colloid stabilizer in beverages that include solid constituents.

Pharmaceutical Industry

Native starch is used as binders, fillers and disintegrating agents for tablet production in pharmaceutical industries.

Other Applications

The third stage of paper production produces special condensed paper for book cover, calendar paper and boxes. Thin boiling starches and more sophisticated modified starches are used, or native starch is jet-cooked with enzymes.