Bulk Tapioca Starch
Source86’s Bulk Tapioca Starch is a fine white starch extracted from the root of cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz, supplied in native, certified organic, pregelatinized, sour, and modified E1414 grades. Native grades run at 13 percent maximum moisture, 85 percent minimum starch, and 99 percent through a 100 mesh screen, with whiteness of 90 percent minimum on Southeast Asian material.
The starch serves two main roles in manufacturing: a neutral, gluten free thickener and binder for sauces, fillings, and bakery, and a texture builder for chewy, elastic, and expanded products such as cheese bread and snacks.
Supply is drawn from starch mills in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Nigeria, giving coverage across both hemispheres. Conventional and certified organic grades are available, with microbiological results documented per lot. Samples are available for formulation trials.
Product Data
| Botanical Identity | Manihot esculenta Crantz, root |
|---|---|
| Available Grades | Native, certified organic, pregelatinized, sour (fermented), modified E1414 |
| Modified Grade Identity | E1414, acetylated distarch phosphate |
| Starch Content | 85% minimum |
| Moisture | 12 to 14% max native; 8 to 10% max pregelatinized; 18% max sour |
| Fineness | 98 to 99% minimum through 100 mesh (150 µm) on native grades |
| Fineness, Pregelatinized | 85% minimum through 100 mesh |
| Residue on 325 Mesh | 0.1% maximum |
| Whiteness | 90% minimum, up to 92% minimum on select Thai grades |
| Protein, Fat, and Ash | Protein 0.5% max, fat 0.15% max, ash 0.5% max |
| Sulphur Dioxide | Below 10 ppm on most native grades |
| Gluten | 10 ppm maximum; gluten free |
| Total Plate Count | 10,000 to 20,000 cfu/g maximum on most native grades |
| Yeast and Mould | 100 to 250 cfu/g maximum |
| Pathogens | Salmonella absent in 25 g; E. coli below 3 MPN/g or absent |
| Bacillus cereus | 1,000 cfu/g maximum |
| Energy and Carbohydrate | 340 to 367 kcal and 85 to 88 g carbohydrate per 100 g |
| Certification Status | Conventional or certified organic, including organic pregelatinized |
| Origin | Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Nicaragua, Nigeria |
| Shelf Life | 24 months; 12 months on some pregelatinized grades |
| Storage | Dry, ventilated, on pallets, below 60% relative humidity, away from odours |
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Certifications & Compliance
- Core Documentation: Certificate of Analysis, specification sheet, origin documentation, and SDS issued per lot, with moisture, fineness, and whiteness reported on the COA.
- Certified Organic: Organic native and pregelatinized grades are supplied from certified mills, with organic certificates and transaction certificates on segregated stock.
- Microbiological Testing: Total plate count, yeast and mould, coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella, and Bacillus cereus are reported per lot against the purchased grade.
- Gluten Free Status: Gluten is tested to 10 ppm maximum on qualifying grades, supporting gluten free claims on finished products.
- Sulphite Declaration: Sulphur dioxide is reported per lot, with most native grades below the 10 ppm threshold that triggers sulphite labelling.
- Non GMO and Allergen Statements: Supplier declarations confirm the starch is GMO free and contains no major allergens, with cross contact confirmed per mill.
Production & Sourcing
Cassava root begins to deteriorate within days of harvest, so tapioca starch is extracted at mills close to the growing areas rather than after long transport. Source86 sources from starch producers in Thailand and Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India in Asia, and from Brazil, Nicaragua, and Nigeria, which places supply in both hemispheres and on several separate crop calendars. Pregelatinized and organic pregelatinized grades are produced in Vietnam and India, while the sour grade comes from Brazil, where fermented cassava starch is a traditional bakery ingredient.
- Root Intake and Washing: Fresh cassava roots are delivered to the mill, washed and cleaned of soil and outer skin before milling begins.
- Rasping and Extraction: Roots are rasped into a pulp, and starch granules are washed out with water while fibre is screened away.
- Separation and Refining: Starch milk is concentrated and refined to remove protein, fibre, and fine impurities, which sets whiteness and purity.
- Dewatering and Drying: Refined starch is dewatered and dried to 13 percent maximum moisture for native grades.
- Grade Processing: Pregelatinized grades are cooked and dried for cold water swelling, while sour starch is naturally fermented and then dried.
- Sieving, Packing, and Testing: Starch is sieved to 100 mesh specification, packed, and tested per lot for moisture, fineness, and microbiology.
Applications
- Bakery and Gluten Free Baking: Gluten free breads, cookies, and mixes use tapioca starch for structure, chew, and a light crumb.
- Cheese Bread and Expanded Snacks: Pão de queijo, puffed crackers, and extruded snacks depend on sour and native starch for expansion and an airy interior.
- Sauces, Gravies, and Soups: Retort and ready to heat sauces, gravies, and soups are thickened with tapioca starch for a clear, glossy finish.
- Fruit and Pie Fillings: Bakery fillings and fruit preparations use the starch to set a translucent gel that does not cloud the fruit.
- Dairy and Dairy Alternatives: Puddings, yogurts, and plant based cheeses rely on tapioca starch for body, stretch, and smooth texture.
- Confectionery: Chewy candies, gummies, and coated sweets use tapioca starch for elasticity and as a dusting and moulding agent.
- Meat and Plant Based Proteins: Processed meats, sausages, and meat alternatives use the starch as a binder that holds water through cooking.
- Instant and Cold Process Foods: Instant desserts, dry mixes, and cold prepared sauces call for pregelatinized grades that thicken without heating.
- Noodles and Asian Foods: Tapioca pearls, dumpling wrappers, chewy noodles, and rice cakes use tapioca starch for a chewy, elastic bite.
- Frozen and Chilled Foods: Frozen meals, chilled desserts, and filled dough products specify tapioca starch for stable texture through cold storage.
Functionality
Granules swell and gelatinize on heating, building viscosity quickly at relatively low temperature compared with cereal starches.
The low protein and fat content produces a translucent paste, so sauces and fillings stay bright rather than cloudy.
Tapioca starch gives a cohesive, stretchy bite that defines cheese bread, gummies, tapioca pearls, and chewy noodles.
Sour cassava starch expands strongly in the oven, creating the hollow, airy structure of cheese bread and puffed snacks.
Pregelatinized grades hydrate and thicken without cooking, allowing viscosity in instant mixes and cold processed products.
The starch holds water in meat, dough, and dairy systems, improving yield and reducing purge during cooking and storage.
With no cereal or bean note, the starch thickens and binds without masking delicate flavours in dairy, fruit, and sauces.
Physical & Functional Characteristics
Very fine, free flowing powder, with 98 to 99 percent passing a 100 mesh screen on native grades.
White to off white, with whiteness of 90 percent minimum and a pale yellow tint on some Vietnamese lots.
Neutral and clean, without the cereal note of wheat or corn starch or the beany note of pulse starches.
Odourless to faintly characteristic on native grades, while the sour grade carries a mild fermented note from processing.
Smooth and silky between the fingers, with a soft, compactable feel typical of fine root starches.
Single ingredient, 100 percent tapioca starch on native, organic, and sour grades, with no additives.
About 340 to 367 kcal and 85 to 88 g carbohydrate per 100 g, with protein and fat close to zero.
Naturally gluten free, tested to 10 ppm maximum, grain free, and suitable for vegan and plant based formulations.
Native starch holds 12 to 14 percent moisture, pregelatinized grades 8 to 10 percent, and sour starch up to 18 percent.
The fine powder absorbs moisture readily from humid air, and airborne dust requires static discharge and explosion risk controls.
Functionality
- Thickens liquid and semi-solid systems, on heating (native, sour, modified) or in cold water (pre-gelatinized).
- Binds ingredients and improves cohesion in gluten-free doughs, coatings, and processed proteins.
- Replaces gluten, contributing structure and moisture retention in wheat-free systems.
- Stabilizes emulsions and processed systems against separation and through freeze-thaw, heat, shear, and acid (modified E1414).
- Maintains texture and reduces syneresis through freezing, thawing, and reheating (modified, pre-gelatinized).
- Sweetens and balances flavor with controlled, moderate sweetness (syrup, syrup solids, dextrose).
- Retains moisture / acts as a humectant, supporting softness and shelf life (syrup, dextrose, modified starch).
- Provides bulk and carrier function in dry blends (syrup solids, dextrose).
- Contributes crispness and surface texture in coatings, batters, and snacks.
Benefits for Commercial Manufacturing
- Multi Origin Supply: Mills across Asia, Latin America, and Africa spread supply over separate crop calendars, reducing dependence on a single growing region.
- Gluten Free Replacement for Wheat Thickeners: A neutral, gluten free starch lets manufacturers remove wheat based thickeners while keeping texture and appearance close to target.
- One Ingredient, Several Textures: Native, pregelatinized, and sour grades cover thickening, cold process, and expansion needs from one botanical source on the label.
- Clean Label Declaration: Native and organic grades are declared simply as tapioca starch, supporting short, recognisable ingredient lists on retail products.
- Organic Programme Support: Certified organic native and pregelatinized grades let brands run organic and conventional SKUs on matching starch specifications.
- Consistent Grade Specifications: Moisture, fineness, and whiteness tolerances reported on each COA give QA clear acceptance criteria at intake.
- Long Shelf Life: A 24 month shelf life under dry storage supports forward buying and stable inventory planning for high volume lines.
- Sulphite Visibility: Per lot sulphur dioxide reporting lets manufacturers confirm whether a sulphite declaration is needed before a label is finalised.
