Tapioca Starch is isolated from the tuberous roots of the manioc plant, which grows mainly in equatorial climates. Depending on the region of growth, plants may be known as mandioca, yucca, cassava or tapioca. After washing it is disintegrated mechanically when a paste like mass called pulp is obtained containing starch granules exposed after disintegration along with finely divided fibrous tissue. The mixture is taken to a sifting machine and thoroughly washed with water and hen sieved through fine brass-wire, sieves when coarser particles of cellulose are left behind on the sieve and smaller particles of starch and some fibrous matter pass down as milky aqueous suspension.
The Starch pulp so obtained is again treated with water when starch particles settle down and the supernatant layer is decanted off. It is then centrifuged to free it from the bulk of water present and slowly dried in air or by treating it gently in ovens or dryer till it contains only 12-13% moisture where it is ready for the market.
