TAPIOCA STARCH

TAPIOCA STARCH

Tapioca starch is a natural ingredient that is effective and widely popular in the cosmetic and personal care industry. 
Tapioca starch appears in the form of a fine, white powder with a soft texture that is helpful in absorbing excess oil and moisture from the skin. 
Further, Tapioca starch is also used as a thickener, binder, and stabilizer in different formulations. 
Tapioca starch can typically be found in powders, dry shampoos, and facial masks. 
The chemical formula of tapioca starch is C6H10O5.

CAS: 9005-25-8
Chem/IUPAC Name: Starch obtained from tapioca. 
It consists primarily of amylose and amylopectin.
EINECS/ELINCS No: 232-679-6

Starch, Tapioca, Tapioca starch, 24SC3U704I, Tapioca starch allergenic extract, STARCH, TAPIOCA (II)

Tapioca Starch (C27H48O20) is obtained from the tuberous roots of the cassava plant. 
Tapioca starch can also be a satisfactory substitute for Gum Arabic in many applications.

Tapioca starch is the starch derived from the roots of the cassava plant, which is native to the northern and northeast regions of Brazil. 
Tapioca starch is a popular culinary ingredient that is commonly used to thicken sauces and soups, as well as to generate corn syrup and other sugars. 
Tapioca starch is extremely adaptable and has a wide range of industrial uses, including adhesives, paper products, anti-sticking agents, and textile manufacturing.

Tapioca is a starch produced from the storage roots of the cassava plant, a species native to Brazil’s north and northeast areas. 
Tapioca starch’s a popular gluten-free ingredient for baked goods, especially for improving the structure and texture.

This starch is commonly used as a thickener and stabiliser in baking, frozen food, poultry, soups, and other applications in the food industry.
Tapioca starch has excellent thickening abilities and can survive long cooking processes without breaking down. 
Tapioca starch also helps lighten the texture and retain moisture in gluten-free products without gluten. 
Tapioca starch can be used in various industries, including food and beverage, adhesives, and textiles.

Tapioca starch has a solid binding capacity due to its relatively high viscosity, which allows it to remain sticky for a long time when mixed with water or chemicals, making it an ideal raw material for industrial glue. 
The starch is also used in yarn sizing to coat the strands to produce a shiny, smooth thread. 
Tapioca starch’s also used as a lubricant to keep single threads from disintegrating during weaving on an in-line loom.

The structure of tapioca starch is characterized by the arrangement of starch granules, which are primarily composed of two types of glucose polymers: amylose and amylopectin. 
These starch granules are irregularly shaped and tend to be larger than those found in many other starches, with an average size of about 15-25 microns.

Amylose: This is one of the two main components of tapioca starch granules. 
Amylose is a linear chain of glucose molecules, meaning the glucose units are connected in a straight chain, creating a long, linear structure.
Amylopectin: The other primary component of tapioca starch granules is amylopectin. 
Amylopectin is a highly branched chain of glucose molecules. 
It contains numerous branches and side chains, making it a complex, three-dimensional structure.
Tapioca starch typically contains a higher percentage of amylopectin compared to other starches. 
This high amylopectin content is responsible for some of the unique properties of tapioca starch, including its ability to absorb and hold more water, which makes it an effective thickener and binder in various food applications.

Tapioca starch has several properties that make it a versatile and useful ingredient in various food applications. 
Some of the key properties of tapioca starch include:

Thickening and Binding: Tapioca starch has excellent thickening properties, and it can be used to thicken soups, sauces, and other liquids. 
Tapioca starch also has good binding properties, which makes it useful in gluten-free baking as a substitute for wheat flour.

Clarity and Gloss: When cooked, tapioca starch has a clear, glossy appearance, which makes it ideal for use in puddings, pie fillings, and other desserts. 
This property enhances the visual appeal of dishes.

Neutral Flavor: Tapioca starch has a neutral flavor and does not significantly affect the taste of the food it is used in. 
This makes it a versatile ingredient that can be incorporated into a wide range of recipes without altering their original flavors.

Resistance to High Temperatures: Tapioca starch is resistant to high temperatures, which makes it suitable for use in frozen or refrigerated foods that require high heat during processing. 
Tapioca starch helps maintain the desired texture and consistency in these products.

Freeze-Thaw Stability: Tapioca starch can withstand freeze-thaw cycles without losing its thickening or binding properties. 
This property is valuable in frozen food applications, where maintaining texture and quality after freezing and thawing is essential.

Gluten-Free: Tapioca starch is naturally gluten-free, which makes it a safe and useful ingredient for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. 
Tapioca starch is a popular choice in gluten-free recipes and products.

The Tapioca Starch Manufacturing Process involves a series of steps to extract and process tapioca starch from cassava roots. Here is an overview of the typical process:

Raw Material Selection: The process starts with the selection of cassava roots. 
The roots should be of good quality and free from mold, diseases, and physical contaminants.

Cleaning and Washing: The selected cassava roots are thoroughly cleaned to remove dirt, sand, and other impurities. 
Washing ensures the roots are free from any surface contaminants.

Peeling: After cleaning, the roots are peeled to remove the outer skin, which may contain undesirable elements.

Grating: The cleaned and peeled cassava roots are then grated or chopped into small pieces. 
This increases the surface area and facilitates the extraction of starch from the root.

Extraction: The grated cassava is mixed with water to create a slurry. 
The slurry is then passed through a sieve to separate the starch from the fibrous material and other components of the root.

Settling and Separation: The starch slurry is allowed to settle, leading to the separation of the heavier starch at the bottom from the lighter impurities and water at the top.

Dewatering: The separated starch is dewatered to reduce its moisture content. 
This can be achieved through processes like centrifugation or pressing.

Drying: The dewatered starch is dried to reduce its moisture content further. 
Drying can be done using various methods, including air drying, drum drying, or spray drying.

Milling and Packaging: The dried starch is milled into a fine powder, and it is then packaged in suitable containers for distribution and use in various food and industrial applications.

The starch obtained through this process is typically high in purity and can be used in various food products, as a thickening agent, in industrial applications, and more.

Uses:
- Thickener
- Stabilizer
- Fruit Pies
- Soups
- Puddings
- Breads
- Sauces
- Soy & Meat Products

Enhanced Thickening Properties: Tapioca Starch offers superior thickening qualities compared to traditional starches. 
Tapioca starch provides a smooth, stable consistency in foods, making it perfect for sauces, soups, and gravies.

Improved Freeze-Thaw Stability: Tapioca starch is engineered to withstand freezing and thawing processes without compromising the texture or quality of the food, making it ideal for frozen foods and ready-to-eat meals.

Neutral Taste: Unlike other starches, Tapioca Starch has a neutral taste, ensuring it does not alter the flavor profiles of your dishes. 
This makes it a versatile ingredient in both savory and sweet applications.

Clear and Glossy Appearance: Tapioca starch imparts a clear, glossy appearance to food products, enhancing the visual appeal of sauces and glazes.

Non-GMO and Gluten-Free: Sourced from non-genetically modified tapioca, Tapioca starch is a perfect ingredient for health-conscious consumers and those with gluten sensitivities.

Easy to Use: Tapioca starch disperses easily in both hot and cold water, simplifying the cooking process and ensuring a lump-free texture.

Tapioca is a starch extracted from the tubers of the cassava plant (Manihot esculenta, also known as manioc), a species native to the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, but whose use is now spread throughout South America. 
Tapioca starch is a perennial shrub adapted to the hot conditions of tropical lowlands. 
Cassava copes better with poor soils than many other food plants.

Tapioca is a staple food for millions of people in tropical countries. 
Tapioca starch provides only carbohydrate food value, and is low in protein, vitamins, and minerals. 
In other countries, Tapioca starch is used as a thickening agent in various manufactured foods.

Tapioca (cassava) is a basic source of low calories, or a supplement to cereal. 
In general, tapioca starch is used in third generation snack foods formulation. 
Tapioca starch grains vary in shape, and size from 5 to 35 μm. The amylose content is ∼17%. 
Good quality starch should have a pH of 4.7–5.3, a moisture content of 10–13.5%, and should be uniformly white in color. 
Tapioca starch develops a very high viscosity and it is an excellent binder. 
Tapioca starch has a bland flavor and requires moderate cooking temperature during extrusion cooking.

Cassava tubers (Manihot esculenta) are a staple crop cultivated in equatorial regions and known by various names such as manioc, manioca, mandioca, yucca, or tapioca. 
The top producers are Nigeria, Brazil, and Thailand. Locally peeled roots are grated, pressed, and then dried/toasted into a food flour. 
Tapioca is the name of the starch isolated from the roots. 
In international trade, tapioca flour is just another name for that almost pure starch. 
About 10% of world's starch production is tapioca.

Characteristics of tapioca starch are a low gelatinization temperature and a good swelling power. For more technological information on tapioca starch, see Section 2.3.5 on starches. Due to the excellent properties in baking and the low costs, tapioca is a part of many gluten-free flour blends. In wafer recipes, tapioca starch improves the batter mixing properties in case of wheat flours of high protein content.

Tapioca starch is obtained from the roots of the cassava plant, which is found in equatorial regions between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. 
The name cassava is generally applied to the roots of the plant, whereas tapioca is the name given to starch and other processed products. 
The large central pith of the cassava roots is the starch-reserve flesh and can range in starch content from as low as 15% to as high as 33%. 
The machinery of tapioca processing is highly varied. 
There are well-equipped factories that utilize local, custom-built devices for processing roots, product streams, by-products and effluent. 
Tapioca starch is differentiated from other starches by its low level of residual materials, lower amylose content than for other amylose-containing starches, and high molecular weights of amylose and amylopectin. 
Starch modifications can be classified as physical modifications, chemical modifications, and genetic modifications. 
The greatest diversity of uses of tapioca starch is in the food industry.
As an ingredient in foods, native and modified tapioca starch has been widely utilized. 
Other food applications generally make use of tapioca starch as a thickener and stabilizer, with special emphasis on its lack of flavor contribution to food systems, allowing full and immediate detection of the flavor of the food itself. 
Tapioca starch consumption in industrial applications has been more related to economics than to any unique functionality. 
Paper manufacturing industry and textile industry are significant users of starch.

Tapioca products are imported primarily from Asia and South America in either powdered form or as tapioca pearls. 
The native starch forms a clear but stringy and cohesive paste when cooked and, like unmodified waxy starches, finds limited usage in this form since the texture is not desirable. 
Some food manufacturers prize tapioca for its bland flavor, and it commands a premium price when modified to eliminate the textural problem. 
Delicately flavored puddings, pastry fillings, and baby food products have traditionally been prepared with tapioca starch because of its flavor advantage.
Some manufacturers also prefer modified tapioca starches over waxy starch products, as tapioca produces a slight gel property in puddings and pie fillings, while duplicating the other desirable attributes of waxy starches. 
Pregelled tapioca starch is widely used because of its excellent flavor characteristics. 
However, use of modified tapioca starch as a general thickener has given way to use of waxy maize starch and mixtures of waxy and common corn starches, largely because of cost differences.

Tapioca pearls are dense agglomerates of uncooked and partially gelatinized starch granules that are commonly made by stirring or rolling damp starch in a container to the desired particle size and dried. Some success has been had in modernizing this procedure through extrusion forming 

Tapioca (cassava) is a basic source of low calories, or a supplement to cereal. 
In general, tapioca starch is used in third generation snack foods formulation. 
Tapioca starch grains vary in shape, and size from 5 to 35 μm. 
The amylose content is ∼17%. Good quality starch should have a pH of 4.7–5.3, a moisture content of 10–13.5%, and should be uniformly white in color. 
Tapioca starch develops a very high viscosity and it is an excellent binder. 
Tapioca starch has a bland flavor and requires moderate cooking temperature during extrusion cooking.

Brazilian tapioca, named “tapioca” or “tapioquinha” in Brazil, is a traditional product typical of the North and Northeast regions of the country, where it was originally produced from starch originating from small units (gum). 
In recent years, Tapioca starch has entered the consumer's taste and the gum, or wet cassava starch, the raw material used for its preparation, can now be found in most markets throughout the country 

BENEFITS AND USES

- Tapioca Starch is used as a thickening agent in liquid-based foods like soups, sauces, gravies, and desserts.
- Tapioca starch's used to improve the texture and moisture content of burgers, nuggets, and dough by retaining moisture in a gel-like structure and avoiding sogginess.
- Tapioca is used for making gluten-free bread after combining it with other flours, which makes it extremely useful for people allergic to wheat, grain, or gluten. 
- Tapioca starch is a convenient and cost-effective remedy for soothing skin burns and reducing skin itchiness.
- Tapioca starch can also be used to stabilise emulsions, generate gel textures, and help important components reach the skin.
- Tapioca starch quickly absorbs excess oil from the skin, leaving it smooth and silky.
- Tapioca Starch is used to manufacture bioplastics and can be used in the manufacturing of airbags.

HOW IT WORKS

Tapioca starch molecules work by absorbing water.
When added to food recipes, these starch molecules thicken the mixture by absorbing water. 
When added to cosmetics, starch absorbs moisture from the air and fixes it onto the upper layers of skin. 
Hence, moisturising your skin.

pH: 6.0-8.0
Solubility: Insoluble in cold water
Soluble: in hot water
Viscosity: Moderate

What is TAPIOCA STARCH used for?
Tapioca starch is a versatile and effective ingredient, making it popular among many skin care and cosmetic formulations. 
Tapioca starch is also natural, eco-friendly, and sustainable.
Skin care: Tapioca starch has oil-absorbent properties that control the production of excess oil and makes the skin silky and soft to the touch.
Moreover, Tapioca starch also makes the skin care formulations smoother by improving the texture and feel

Cosmetic products: Tapioca starch has thickening and binding properties that work best for cosmetic products. 
Apart from its oil absorbing properties, the ingredient can help in the creation of gel textures and also stabilize emulsions

Origin
Tapioca starch is derived from the cassava root, which is first peeled and grated. 
The grated cassava is then rinsed and strained to remove the fibers and other impurities. 
The resulting pulp is then ground into a fine powder, which is then washed and dried to create tapioca starch.

What does TAPIOCA STARCH do in a formulation?
- Binding
- Viscosity controlling

Safety profile
Tapioca starch is non-toxic, non-comedogenic, and safe for use in personal care and cosmetic formulations. 
Tapioca starch does not cause any major side effects and, therefore, a patch test is not typically necessary, but individuals with sensitive skin should always exercise caution when trying new products. 
Tapioca starch is also vegan and halal.

Production

The cassava plant is easily propagated by stem-cutting, grows well in low-nutrient soils, and can be harvested every two months, although it takes ten months to grow to full maturity.

The cassava plant has either red or green branches with blue spindles on them. 
The root of the green-branched variant requires treatment to remove linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside occurring naturally in the plant, which otherwise may be converted into cyanide.
Konzo (also called mantakassa) is a paralytic disease associated with several weeks of almost exclusive consumption of insufficiently processed bitter cassava.

In Brazil's north and northeast, traditional community-based tapioca production is a byproduct of manioc flour production from cassava roots. 
In this process, the manioc (after treatment to remove toxicity) is ground to a pulp with a small hand- or diesel-powered mill. 
This masa is then squeezed to dry it out. 
The wet masa is placed in a long woven tube called a tipiti. 
The top of the tube is secured while a large branch or lever is inserted into a loop at the bottom and used to stretch the entire implement vertically, squeezing a starch-rich liquid out through the weave and ends. 
This liquid is collected, and the microscopic starch grains in it are allowed to settle into the bottom of the container. 
The supernatant liquid is then poured off, leaving behind a wet starch sediment that needs to be dried and results in the fine-grained tapioca starch powder similar in appearance to corn starch.

Commercially, the starch is processed into several forms: hot soluble powder, meal, pre-cooked fine or coarse flakes, rectangular sticks, and spherical "pearls."
Pearls are the most widely available shape; sizes range from about 1 mm to 8 mm in diameter, with 2–3 mm being the most common.

Flakes, sticks, and pearls must be soaked well before cooking to rehydrate, absorbing water up to twice their volume. 
After rehydration, tapioca products become leathery and swollen. 
Processed tapioca is usually white, but sticks and pearls may be colored. 
Traditionally, the most common color applied to tapioca has been brown, but recently pastel colors have been available. 
Tapioca pearls are generally opaque when raw but become translucent when cooked in boiling water.

Brazil, Thailand, and Nigeria are the world's largest cassava producers. 
Currently, Thailand accounts for about 60 percent of worldwide exports.