Cassava, also known as manioc, yuca, or manioca, is revered as the “king of starch.” It has a wide range of uses, high yield, and is widely cultivated in tropical regions. Cassava powder is classified into two types based on its uses: edible and industrial. The tubers of edible cassava are rich in starch, making them an important raw material for the pharmaceutical and food industries, as well as a key source for developing biomass.
There are over 2,000 industrial products made from cassava. It plays a significant role in crop distribution, animal feed production, and industrial applications, and has become a widely cultivated crop for processing starch and animal feed. With the development of the cassava industry, the uses of cassava powder have gradually diversified. It is now used as an industrial raw material in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, paper, candy, beverages, animal feed, biodegradable materials, adhesives, glues, chemicals, and fuel ethanol.
Cassava Food
Cassava tubers are thick and rich in starch, vitamins, β-carotene, minerals and cellulose, but low in protein and fat. The extraction process of cassava starch is basically the same as that of sweet potato starch. It is widely used in the process of cassava edible. Pure white cassava powder is obtained after crushing, filtering, dehydration and drying. The cassava powder used in cassava food is divided into three categories: ordinary cassava powder, modified cassava powder and whole cassava flour food.
Common Cassava Powder Foods
Cassava Edible Wine: Cassava flour and water are mixed into a homogenate in a 1:4 ratio, with the water temperature at 70°C. The homogenate is heated to gelatinize the starch, then quickly cooled to 60°C after 60 minutes. Enzyme saccharification is done for 30 minutes. Add 0.1% active dry yeast and 0.5% ammonium sulfate. Set the fermentation temperature to 30°C for the first 12 hours, then raise it to 35°C for the later stages. The total fermentation time is 72 hours. Finally, distillation is performed.
Cassava Vermicelli: Cassava starch is processed into cassava vermicelli through mixing and slurrying, high-temperature steaming, cooling, and cutting. The result is a chewy and tough texture.
Cassava Starch Sugar: Cassava starch sugar refers to glucose, fructose, maltose, and their mixtures produced by acid or enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of cassava starch. Deep processing of starch is common in the food, beverage, and healthcare industries. The rapid development of these industries has also created a strong market for starch sugars and sugar alcohol production.
Modified Cassava Powder
To enhance starch properties and broaden the applications of cassava starch, the food processing industry uses physical, chemical, and enzymatic treatments. These methods introduce new functional groups or alter the size of starch molecules, making them more suitable for practical applications. This starch, after secondary processing, is known as modified starch.
Cassava Whole Flour Food
The production of cassava whole flour is simple, with low water consumption, high utilization, and minimal environmental impact. It solves the issue of fresh cassava being difficult to store and transport. This also increases the added value of the industry.
Cassava whole flour is widely used in baked goods, pastries, cakes, and more. It can be used as either the main ingredient or combined with other starches. Examples include cassava vermicelli, cassava cakes, cassava biscuits, cassava bread, cassava noodles, steamed buns, yogurt, shrimp chips, macaroni, sweet wine, dumpling wrappers, and more.
Beverages
Modified starch is used as a colloidal stabilizer in beverages containing solid components. In beverages, cassava starch is a better sweetener than sucrose because it improves the processing and enhances the product’s characteristics. When combined with other sweeteners, it can fully meet consumer demand. The high hydrolysis sugar syrup formed by the hydrolysis of cassava starch is an ideal source of fermentable sugar in beer brewing.
Confectionery
Cassava native starch and modified starches are used in candy production for gelling, thickening, stabilizing, and enhancing foaming. Low-viscosity cassava starch is common in jelly and chewing gum. Acid-treated starch is preferred for its reversibility and gelling ability. Dry starch is used as a release agent. Starch-based polysaccharides enable sugar-free gum.
Chemicals
Cassava starch-based syrups are low-cost and produced through acid or enzymatic hydrolysis. They serve as raw materials for chemicals such as MSG, amino acids, organic acids, ethanol, ketones, vitamins, and antibiotics.
Adhesives and Glues
Cassava powder dextrin is a versatile adhesive used in corrugated cardboard, paper bags, plywood, tapes, labels, stamps, and envelopes.
Papermaking
Modified cassava powder improves paper quality, increases efficiency, and enhances pulp utilization. Cationic starch flocculates pulp and improves dewatering. This allows for higher paper machine speeds and better pulp usage. Starch retained in paper increases strength. Low-viscosity starch is used for surface sizing to improve paper strength and ink absorption.
Textiles
Cassava powder is used in textiles to size yarn, protect it, and produce smooth fabrics. It is also used to enhance color and create wear-resistant prints. Lightly cooked starch is more effective in textile applications.
Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics
Cassava native starch and modified powders are used as binders, fillers, and disintegrants in tablet production. Modified starches can also be used as emollient carriers, emulsifiers, encapsulating agents, styling agents, and thickeners.
Biodegradable Materials
Cassava powder can be mixed with synthetic or petroleum-based polymers. This improves biodegradability and reduces the production cost of eco-friendly materials.
Epic Powder
Epic Powder’s advanced air classification grinding technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing the quality and functionality of cassava powder across various industries. By precisely controlling the particle size and improving the powder’s properties, our equipment supports a wide range of applications, from food and beverages to pharmaceuticals and biodegradable materials. Whether for modifying cassava starch or producing high-quality cassava-based products, Epic Powder ensures that the grinding process maximizes efficiency and product performance.