The Process of Tapioca Starch Production |
One kilogram of tapioca starch requires 4.4 kilograms of fresh cassava roots at its starch content of 25%. In Thailand, the large-scale processing facilities with advanced processing machines and technology have been replacing those primitive and small-scale factories. According to the studies, the processing methods could be divided into two processes; traditional and modern. Their details are as follows: |
The traditional process, usually practiced in the small-scale factories, is able to separate starch from fresh cassava roots by crushing and then submerging the cassava under the water. The starch made through this process is inferior in quality. The process of this method has 9 steps as follows: |
1. Weigh fresh cassava roots to determine starch percentage. 2. Chop out the tails connected along with the roots before putting in the peeling devices. 3. Remove the peel and steep them in the cleansing well. 4. Put the clean ones in the chopper and grinder. Grind until they becomes fine particles and sediment them in the water. In this step, they appear as the slurry mix of starch, water, and fiber. 5. Filter the slurry to separate starch slurry from the fiber, however, the fiber still has some starch content that can be used as animal food. 6. Sediment the slurry in the wooden pail. 7. Dry the wet cake under the sun light on the yard. 8. Use the grindstone to grind the completely dried cake. 9. Pack in the bag. |