Native Starches

Starch can be classified into two types: native and modified. Native starches are produced through the separation of naturally occurring starch from either grain or root crops, such as cassava, maize, and sweetpotato, and can be used directly in producing certain foods, such as noodles. The raw starches produced still retain the original structure and characteristics and are called “native starches”. Native starch is the basic starch product that is marketed in the dry powder form under different grades for food, and as pharmaceutical, human, and industrial raw material. Native starch has different functional properties depending on the crop source, and specific types of starch are preferred for certain applications. Native starch can be considered a primary resource that can be processed into a range of starch products.

Native starches have limited usage, mainly in the food industry, because they lack certain desired functional properties. The native starch granules hydrate easily when heated in water, they swell and gelatinize; the viscosity increases to a peak value, followed by a rapid decrease, yielding weak-boiled, stringy, and cohesive pastes of poor stability and poor tolerance to acidity, with low resistance to shear pressure, as commonly employed in modern food processing.

However, food, metallurgic, mining, fermentation, construction, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, paper and cardboard, and textiles industries among others use native starch in its traditional form.

For further information please visit the website: www.cassavabiz.org

Modified Starches

For those characteristics, which are unattainable with native starch, modified starch can be used for other industrial applications through a series of techniques, chemical, physical, and enzymatic modification. Thus, modified starch is native starch that has been changed in its physical and/or chemical properties. 

Modifications may involve altering the form of the granule or changing the shape and composition of the constituent amylose and amylopectin molecules. Modifications are therefore carried out on the native starch to confer it with properties needed for specific uses. When a starch is modified chemically or physically, the properties of the native starch is altered. Various modifications give the starch properties that make it useful in many industries such as food, pharmaceutical, textile, petroleum, and paper pulp industries.

The different ways of modifying native starch consist in altering one or more of the following properties: paste temperature, solids/viscosity ratio, starch paste resistance to reduction of viscosity by acids, heat and or mechanical agitation (shear), retrogradation tendencies, ionic and hydrophilic nature. Modifying starch is important to provide the following properties: thickening, gelatinization, adhesiveness and/or film-formation, to improve water retention, enhance palatability and sheen and to remove or add opacity.

The reason why native starch is modified are :

To modify cooking characteristics (gelatinization). To reduce retrogradation. To reduce paste’s tendency to gelatinize. To increase paste’s stability when cooled or frozen. To increase transparency of pastes and gels. To improve texture of pastes and gels. To improve adhesiveness between different surfaces, such as in  Modification can be as simple as sterilizing products required for the pharmaceutical industry or highly complex chemical processes to confer properties totally different from the native starch. A simple modification process is represented by washing, air classification, centrifugation, and pre-gelatinization. For further information please visit the website: www.cassavabiz.org

Cassava Starch Production

Starch is one of the most abundant substances in nature, a renewable and almost unlimited resource. Starch is produced from grain or root crops. It is mainly used as food, but is also readily converted chemically, physically, and biologically into many useful products to date, starch is used to produce such diverse products as food, paper, textiles, adhesives, beverages, confectionery, pharmaceuticals, and building materials. Cassava starch has many remarkable characteristics, including high paste viscosity, high paste clarity, and high freeze-thaw stability, which are advantageous to many industries.

Cassava starch is produced primarily by the wet milling of fresh cassava roots but in some countries such as Thailand it is produced from dry cassava chips. Starch is the main constituent of cassava. About 25% starch may be obtained from mature, good quality tubers. About 60 % starch may be obtained from dry cassava chips and about 10 % dry pulp may be obtained per 100 kg of cassava roots. 

Simple process for Cassava Starch production

Fresh tubers are processed during season and dry chips during the off-season in some countries. Extraction of starch from fresh cassava roots (Fig. 1) can be divided into five main stages: preparation (peeling and washing), rasping/pulping/grating, purification (starch washing), dewatering and drying, and finishing (milling and packaging). 

For cassava, the process of starch extraction is relatively simple as there are only small amounts of secondary substances, such as protein, in the roots. When cassava roots are harvested or selected for starch extraction, age and root quality are critical factors. Cassava roots need to be processed almost immediately after harvest, as the roots are highly perishable and enzymatic processes accelerate deterioration within 1-2 days. A first-rate quality starch can be obtained from cassava using only water, and this makes the processing of cassava starch and flour particularly suitable for developing countries and rural industries. 

Review from the website: www.cassavabiz.org

CASSAVA IN MALAYSIA

In Malaysia, the processing of sago starch predates that of cassava, having been established before 1416. With its introduction, cassava, which is a much shorter term crop, quickly replaced sago palm as the preferred raw material among starch processors. Hence, except for  Of the eight starch factories reported in Perak in 1984, only two are still in operation. Recently, in Sabah, a starch factory opened to process roots supplied through contract farming from an area of more than 3,000 ha. In trade, cassava starch takes the form of flour, flakes, pearls and starch powder. 

Most of this starch is used in food industries, particularly for making monosodium glutamate (using about 3,000 tonnes of starch per month). Other significant users are manufacturers of glucose, bakery and biscuit products, textiles and paper. There is also increasing interest in growing edible varieties of cassava for processing into snacks.

The future potential in terms of domestic demand for cassava starch is very good. There is recent renewed enthusiasm for planting cassava for production of starch, dried chips for livestock feed and sweeteners (high fructose glucose syrup or HFGS). For large-scale mechanized cassava production, certain prerequisites of soil type, terrain, climate and farm size matching the factory's capacity, must be satisfied. While land is hard to come by in Peninsular Malaysia, more than 80,000 ha of land are still available in Sabah.

Starch is the most likely product to be feasible and profitable in the immediate future compared to dried chips and HFGS production, because of a high demand in the local market, and a well-established technology for starch processing. Stable, high-yielding varieties with intermediate to high starch content to ensure higher starch recovery are required; better still if they can be harvested early.

The potential of using cassava as a carbohydrate-rich animal feedstuff is promising, but being low in protein compared to maize, additional protein is required from another source, entailing extra costs. Also, it is costly to dry cassava by artificial means. Although it is technically possible to produce HFGS from cassava, it involves converting starch by enzymatic processes – a complicated and expensive procedure. This does not seem economically feasible in the immediate future, given the current low world price for sugar. Instead, modified starches and their products have very good future potential as profitable agro-based industries. Modification of starches not only expands their scope of utilization by altering their physico-chemical characteristics, but also increases their value as compared to native starch.

An alternative use of cassava, which has some prospects, is the production of snack foods. Although oil-fried crisps and crackers are traditional snacks produced by cottage industries, only recently have attempts been made by larger food processors to improve their quality and packaging, and to target the more up-market urban consumer and overseas market. Preliminary work at MARDI has shown that cassava makes a very good raw material for extruded snacks.

Review from the website: singkong-msi.blogspot.my

Starch in The Kitchen

Cassava flour (tapioca flour) is commonly used as a food thickener, and is also used as a binder in pharmaceutical tablets. In Malaysia, fried tapioca crisps are one of the many selections found in the local snack kacang putih.

Cassava flour can also replace wheat flour, and is so-used by some people with allergies to other grain crops. Tapioca and foufou are made from the starchy cassava root flour. Boba tapioca pearls are made from this root.

What's the Difference? Flour, Cornstarch, Potato Starch, and Arrowroot

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Last week, we talked about how starches are used to thicken sauces, puddings, pie fillings, and soups like the one above. This week, we'll check out the different kinds of starches that get used in cooking and why you might choose to use one over the other...

Starches can vary widely in terms of how quickly they thicken, how much they thicken, the quality of the thickening, and their flavor after thickening. Choosing one starch over the other means understanding the properties of that individual starch and how it will behave in your food.

Grain Starches
Wheat flour and cornstarch are the two most common forms of grain starches we use in our cooking. Because it is almost pure starch, cornstarch is a more efficient thickener than wheat flour. Both are medium-sized starch granules that gelatinize at a higher temperature than root starches. However, once that temperature is reached, thickening happens very quickly!

Grain starches also contain a relatively high percentage of fats and proteins, which can make sauces thickened with these starches look opaque and matte-like. These starches also tend to have a distinctive cereal taste once cooked.

Root and Tuber Starches
Potato starch, tapioca (made from manioc root), and arrowroot are larger-grained starches that gelatinize at relatively lower temperatures. Sauces thickened with these starches are more translucent and glossy, and they have a silkier mouthfeel. Root starches also have less forward flavors once cooked.

These root starches don't stand up as well as grain starches to longer cooking and so they're best used to thicken sauces toward the very end of cooking.

- www.thekitchn.com

Tapioca Flour Nutrition

A small pile of tapioca flour on a cutting board. Photo Credit hadkhanong_Thailand/iStock/Getty Images

If you're avoiding wheat due to gluten intolerance, you may have considered using an alternative flour such as tapioca flour. Also known as tapioca starch, this flour has a slightly sweet flavor and is used to thicken sauces and make baked goods when combined with other flours. Tapioca flour is high in carbs and low in nutrients.

Count the Calories
Tapioca flour contains about the same number of calories as wheat flour. A 1/2-cup serving of the gluten-free flour contains 170 to 200 calories. By comparison, the same serving of whole-wheat flour contains 204 calories. Keeping track of your calorie intake is important for weight control.

All Carbs

All the calories in tapioca flour come from its carb content. Unlike wheat flour, tapioca flour contains very little protein or fat. A 1/2-cup serving of tapioca flour contains 42 to 52 grams of carbohydrates. Carbs are the body's preferred source of energy and should provide most of your calories. While tapioca flour is a good source of carbs, it is not a good source of fiber, a type of carb your body cannot digest. Fiber is a health-promoting nutrient that may help lower risk of heart disease and help with weight management.

Smidge of Iron, if You're Lucky
In general, tapioca flour is not a good source of vitamins or minerals. But some brands of the flour contain a small amount of iron, meeting 2 percent of the daily value per 1/2-cup serving, which is less than 1 milligram of iron. By comparison, whole-wheat flour contains 2 milligrams of iron per 1/2-cup serving. Iron is a mineral that helps carry oxygen throughout your body. Women, teen girls and children are at risk of not getting enough iron in their diet, making it important that they include good food sources to meet needs.

Sodium-Free
Tapioca flour does not contain any sodium. While sodium is an essential nutrient, most Americans get more than they need, according to the American Heart Association. For some people, eating too much sodium causes water retention, which in turn raises blood pressure and increases risk of stroke and heart failure. To keep a lid on sodium when baking with tapioca flour, limit the amount of salt you add to your baked goods, and be aware that foods like baking soda also contain sodium.

Review from the website: www.lifestrong.com

How to Replace Tapioca

Pudding can be thickened with tapioca, cornstarch, flour, arrowroot or sago. Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images

Tapioca is a starch extracted from the roots of the cassava plant. It is used to thicken sauces, pies and puddings. It is sold in small pearls, usually used in puddings and pies, or as tapioca starch, which is used to coat foods that will be fried or to thicken sauces. If you find you don't have any tapioca when you need it, there are several other starches that can replace it. Changing the thickener you use can sometimes change the texture, appearance and taste of your dish.

Step 1
Replace 2 tbsp. of quick-cooking tapioca with 1 tbsp. of arrowroot or cornstarch. Combine arrowroot or cornstarch with a little water to make a paste before adding it to the liquids in the recipe. Cornstarch works better with dairy-based recipes; arrowroot works better when you are thickening an acid mixture, such as lemon pudding or a fruit-based recipe. Tapioca and arrowroot work better in dishes that will be frozen than cornstarch does.

Step 2
Replace 2 tbsp. of quick-cooking tapioca with 1 tbsp. of potato starch or rice starch, also called potato flour and rice flour. Combine the potato starch or rice starch with the other dry ingredients of the recipe before adding the liquid ingredients.


Step 3
Replace 2 tbsp. of quick-cooking tapioca with 2 tbsp. of all-purpose flour. Combine the flour with sugar or salt before stirring it into wet ingredients to prevent lumps.

Step 4
Use 3 tbsp. of kudzu powder to every 2 cups of liquid called for in your recipe. Other more exotic thickeners are lotus root powder and sahlab, a starch made from orchid tubers. Follow the package instructions when using the more exotic starches.

www.lifestrong.com

What is the Benefits of Tapioca Starch?

Tapioca comes from the cassava plant. Photo Credit graphicnoi/iStock/Getty Images

Tapioca starch is made from the root of the cassava plant. Although it can be used as a flour for baking, its mainly used as a thickener. Tapioca is widely used in Asian cuisine, especially in Thai recipes. In India, tapioca starch is sometimes boiled and flavored with spices to eat as a side dish.

Gluten Free

The most obvious benefit of tapioca starch is that it is gluten free and wheat free. This makes it an appropriate option for people who have gluten intolerances but still want to bake or add thickeners to their recipes.

Wide Cooking Uses

Tapioca starch works well in a number of recipes, making it an appropriate choice for baking pies, making flat breads and creating snacks such as chips and wafers. Because tapioca starch is also a thickener, many cooks use it to thicken soups, puddings and gravies. Tapioca adds chewiness to a recipe, so it’s not a good choice if you’re looking for a harder, crumbling texture for cookies or muffins.

Bland Taste

Tapioca starch has a bland, neutral taste. This is an advantage when cooking, as adding tapioca starch won’t affect the flavor of a recipe. Because of its neutral taste, tapioca starch can be used in both sweet and salty dishes without problem. Other gluten-free starches and flours, such as buckwheat flour, potato starch and brown rice flour, will change the flavor, color or texture of dishes. Tapioca starch will not.

Low Protein

Tapioca starch contains no protein, making it a good choice for those trying to cut their protein intake. Most other types of starches and flours contain at least some protein. For example, wheat flour contains 16 g of protein per 120 g serving, which equals about one cup. According to Fine Cooking, low-protein starches are good for cooking soft –rather than crusty, crunchy-- breads, cakes and biscuits.

Review from the website: www.lifestrong.com

How to Bake with Tapioca Flour

Slices of bread made with tapioca flour. Photo Credit Iryna Melnyk/iStock/Getty Images

Tapioca flour, or tapioca starch, comes from the cassava plant. This gluten-free starch can help improve the flavor and texture of gluten-free baked goods. Gluten is responsible for building the structure of breads and other baked goods, giving these foods a characteristic chewy texture. Tapioca flour can help add body to your gluten-free recipes, making them feel like more traditional recipes

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

For most of your baking needs, you can create a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend containing tapioca flour. Combine 1 part tapioca flour, 2 parts potato starch and 6 parts brown rice flour. When using this flour in traditional recipes, substitute an equal amount of the gluten-free blend for the amount of all-purpose flour.

Gluten-Free Cake Flour

For a more delicate cake flour, combine approximately equal amounts of white rice flour, potato starch and tapioca flour. Add a bit more of the rice flour and the potato starch. Use this blend to replace equal amounts of cake flour called for in traditional recipes.

Considerations

Because much of gluten-free baking is an art, not a science, you can experiment with the proportions in these blends until you achieve your ideal texture. Tapioca flour adds a bit of springiness to your baked goods. If the texture of your baked goods is too springy, reduce the amount of tapioca flour slightly. Additionally, if you are converting a traditional recipe to a gluten-free recipe containing tapioca flour, you will need to decrease the amount of liquid slightly because wheat flour is more absorbent than gluten-free flours are.

www.lifestrong.com

Benefits of Tapioca

             Tapioca bulbs growing on plant. Photo Credit kumdinpitak/iStock/Getty Images

Tapioca, most commonly used in pudding, is a starch made from the root of the cassava plant. It can be purchased as granules, flakes and powders, although it's most commonly available in the form of little round balls. You can make savory and sweet dishes with tapioca, or simply use it as a thickening agent. Naturally low in fat and high in carbohydrates, tapioca can be used in place of arrowroot, cornstarch or flour to thicken sauces and soups.

Carbs and Other Macronutrients
A 1/2-cup serving of uncooked tapioca pearls has 272 calories, which is over 10 percent of the daily caloric intake for those on a 2,000-calorie diet. The same size serving also contains minimal amounts of protein and fat, as well as 0.7 grams of dietary fiber. In addition, that 1/2-cup serving has 67.4 grams of carbohydrates. The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults consume at least 130 grams of carbohydrates per day. Pregnant women should get 170 grams of carbs every day, while lactating women should consume 210 grams. Tapioca pearls are rarely eaten plain, so the calorie, fat, protein, sugar and fiber content will change depending on how you use the pearls.

A Source of Iron
Iron helps your body make blood cells, producing the proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin, which carry oxygen in your blood to various parts of your body. Iron also helps produce other proteins in your body. Iron deficiency can lead to weight loss, dizziness, irritability, low energy levels, shortness of breath and headaches. The recommended amount of iron for adult males and women 51 and older is 8 milligrams a day; women 50 and under should get 18 milligrams a day. A 1/2-cup serving of tapioca contains 1.2 milligrams of iron, which supplies between 6.7 and 15 percent of your daily requirement.

A Gluten-Free Option
Gluten-free diets have become more common, even for people who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease, a condition in which your body cannot tolerate even the tiniest amounts of gluten, which is a protein. Those who opt to follow a gluten-free diet by choice often do so because they have a mild intolerance to gluten. Because tapioca is made from cassava, it is naturally gluten free, making it a substitute for flour as a thickener, as well as a base for a tasty, sweet pudding.

A Low-Sodium Choice
Tapioca is naturally low in sodium, containing only 2 milligrams per 1-cup serving. According to Colorado State University Extension, the majority of Americans consume too much sodium every day, increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease. The daily upper limit for sodium is 2,300 milligrams for adults. The limit drops to 1,500 milligrams if you are over 51, you are African American, or you have a history of heart disease. Just remember that tapioca is usually just one ingredient in a dish, so watch your added salt to keep the dish low in sodium.

www.lifestrong.com

Tapioca Products

Bangladesh and Bengal province (India)
During religious fasts, sabudana is a popular alternative to rice-based foods. Consumed with curd or milk or prepared as a Khichdi, sago is particularly popular choice during the fasts of 'Ramadan','Ombubachi', Nilshosthi and Ekadoshi. Traditionally, tapioca pearls are used as the food for children, elderly and ill people, mixed with milk or water. Faluda, a popular food, is also prepared with curd, ice and other ingredient during summer.

India
Tapioca is a common ingredient of some Indian dishes and the most common form that is added into dishes is in the form of tapioca pearls. Local words for tapioca roots in India include: Odia sagudana, Malayalam kappa or maraccīni, Tamil maravaḷḷikilanku, Kannadasabakki, Hindi and saggu biyyam Telugu language. which used to prepare sabbakki payasam in Indian traditional foods

Kerala
Tapioca is widely consumed in the Indian state of Kerala, usually as breakfast or in the evening. It is boiled (after skinning and cutting it into large cakes of about 6–8 cm (2.4–3.1 in) long or into small 2 cm (0.79 in) cubes) in water till properly cooked, and the water is drained off. Once cooked, it can be mixed with grated coconut, chili, salt, turmeric etc., then steamed and mashed into a dry pudding. This can be garnished in oil with mustard, onion, curry leaves etc. if desired. Tapioca cakes (chendan kappa) are often eaten with simple chili sauce (a paste of Green/Red Chili + Shallot + small red Onion + Garlic + Salt + Oil).

Tamil Nadu
Tapioca pearls are referred to as "javvarisi" in Tamil. Most of the delicacies are cooked from this form of tapioca because it is relatively easier to handle than the raw root itself. Tapioca is cultivated more in several districts, providing steady income to farmers. Tapioca can be consumed raw (after removing the skins/outer cover) or boiled for various dishes or snacks.

Cassava plant in early stage

Mature cassava plant

Africa

Tapioca is eaten in the regions of Nigeria and Ghana as a common meal usually at breakfast.

The Igbos of Eastern Nigeria add palm oil to grated cassava during roasting, a dish called 'yellow gari'. The tribes in Niger Delta extract starch from cassava cooked into a starch eaten with pepper soup. In Ghana, cassava is peeled, boiled until tender, then pounded in a large wooden mortar and pestle until it becomes homogenous, this is called 'fufu', it is eaten with soup.

Europe

Tapioca is not as widely used in Europe, but several countries use tapioca. In Belgium, small white tapioca pearls are added to clear soups. Tapioca balls are used in French desserts, such as parfaits. The savory snack in the United Kingdom, Skips, are made of tapioca and flavored like prawn cocktail, as well as other flavors.

Tapioca is also widely available in its dried forms and is used to make tapioca pudding -Wikipedia 

COLOMBIA AND VENEZUELA

In Colombia and Venezuela, arepas may be made with tapioca flour rather than cornmeal. Tapioca arepas probably predate cornmeal arepas , among traditional cultures of the Caribbean the name for them is casabe. Throughout both Spanish and Portuguese South America, the tapioca, or yuca, starch is used to make regional variations of the baked cheese bun, known locally as pandebono, pan de yuca, pão de queijo, chipá, or cuñapé, among other names.

North America

While frequently associated with tapioca pudding, a dessert in the United States, tapioca is also used in other courses. People on gluten-free diets can eat bread made with tapioca flour (although these individuals have to be careful, as some tapioca flour has wheat added to it).

Tapioca pudding

West Indies

Tapioca is a staple food from which dishes, such as pepper pot, and alcohol is made. It may be used for teeth cleaning, a provision cooked with meats or fish, and in desserts such as cassava pone.Asia 
In various Asian countries, tapioca pearls are widely used and are known as sagudana, sabudana or shabudana (pearl sago) or "sabba akki" in Kannada). The pearls are used to make snacks. Tapioca pearls are essential ingredients for Taiwanese bubble tea.

In Southeast Asia, the cassava root is commonly cut into slices, wedges or strips, fried, and served as a snack, similar to potato chips, wedges or french fries. Another method is to boil large blocks until soft, and serve them with grated coconut as a dessert, either slightly salted or sweetened, usually with palm sugar syrup. In Thailand, this dish is called mansampalang.

Tapioca chips, baked in sand

Tapai is made by fermenting large blocks with a yeast-like bacteria culture to produce a sweet and slightly alcoholic dessert. Further fermentation releases more liquids and alcohol producing Tuak, a sour alcoholic beverage -Wikipedia 

A variation of the chips popular amongst the Malays is kerepek pedas, where the crisps are coated with a hot, sweet and tangy chili and onion paste, or sambal, usually with fried anchovies and peanuts added.

Krupuk, or crackers, is a major use of tapioca starch in Indonesia.

Commercially prepared tapioca has many uses. Tapioca powder is commonly used as a thickener for soups and other liquid foods. It is also used as a binder in pharmaceutical tablets and natural paints. The flour is used to make tender breads, cakes, biscuits, cookies, and other delicacies (see also Maida flour). Tapioca flakes are used to thicken the filling of pies made with fruits having a high water content.

A typical recipe for tapioca jelly can be made by washing 2 tablespoonfuls of tapioca, pouring a pint of water over it, and soaking for three hours. The mixture is placed over low heat and simmered until quite clear. If too thick, a little boiling water can be added. It can be sweetened with white sugar, flavored with coconut milk or a little wine, and eaten alone or with cream.

wikipedia

Tapioca Products

Flatbreads
A casabe is a thin flatbread made from bitter cassava root without leavening. It was originally produced by the indigenous Arawak and Carib peoples because these roots were a common plant of the rain forests where they lived. In eastern Venezuela, many indigenous groups still make casabe. It is their chief bread-like staple. Indigenous communities, such as the Ye-Kuana, Kari-Ña, Yanomami, Guarao or Warao descended from the Caribe or Arawac nations, still make casabe.

Casabe baking in a small commercial bakery

Thin and crisp cakes of casabe are often broken apart and eaten like crackers. Like bread, casabe can be eaten alone or with other dishes. Thicker casabe usually are eaten slightly moistened. A sprinkle of a few drops of liquid is enough to transform a dry casabe into a very soft and smooth bread similar to the softest slice of a wheat bread loaf. Because of its capacity to absorb liquid immediately, casabe may cause someone to choke, but goes down quickly with a sip of liquid.

Tapioca Pearl
Tapioca pearls are also known as boba in some cultures. It is produced by passing the moist starch through a sieve under pressure. Pearl tapioca is a common ingredient in Asian dessertssuch as falooda, kolak, sago soup, and in sweet drinks such as bubble tea, fruit slush and taho, where they provide a chewy contrast to the sweetness and texture of the drink. Small pearls are preferred for use in puddings. In Brazil, the pearls are cooked with wine or other liquid to add flavor and are called sagu .
Large pearls are preferred for use in drinks. These pearls most often are brown, not white (and traditionally are used in black or green tea drinks), but today are available in a wide variety of colors. They are also available as an option in shave ice and hot drinks.

In addition to their use in puddings and beverages, a recent innovation has been to cook tapioca pearls inside cakes - Wikipedia 

Taro flavored bubble teawith tapioca pearls

Biodegradable products
Tapioca root can be used to manufacture biodegradable bags developed from a tapioca resin of the plant as a viable plastic substitute. Not only is it biodegradable, but it can be composted, is renewable, reusable, recyclable and sustainable. Other tapioca resin products include reusable gloves, capes and aprons.

TAPIOCA

Tapioca is a starch extracted from cassava root (Manihot esculenta). This species is native to the North Region of Brazil, but spread throughout the South American continent. The plant was carried by Portuguese and Spanish explorers to most of the West Indies, and continents of Africa and Asia, including the Philippines and Taiwan. It is now cultivated worldwide.

Cassava plant in early stage

Mature cassava plant

Production
Tapioca is one of the purest forms of starch food, and the production varies from region to region.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.

Commercially, the starch is processed into several forms: hot soluble powder, meal, pre-cooked fine/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, in order 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. Since old times, 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.

Cassava plant

Colored, translucent tapioca sticks

Small, opaque pearl tapioca before soaking

Nutritional  Value
Tapioca predominantly consists of carbohydrates, with each cup containing 23.9 grams for a total of 105 calories; it is low in saturated fat, protein and sodium. It has no significant essential vitamins or dietary minerals. One serving of tapioca pudding contains no dietary fiber, a small amount of oleic acid, and no omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids.

- Wikipedia