Cassava starch or tapioca starch, a product extracted from fresh roots is one of the major commercial starches in the market. It is ranked as the second, after corn starch. The technology of starch production has been greatly improved from low quality starch produced by sedimentation process to high quality starch produced by fully automated and mechanized, dewatering centrifugal process. In this process, roots are transported to factories. Corn starch has 25% amylose and 75% amylopectin. The amylose molecules loose lose water increase biodegradation characteristic and amylopectin molecule is responsible for plasticizer properties. Their granule size ranges between 5 to 20 microns. i.e. good absorption capacity, rapid gel formation & good strength.
Starch is used to produce such diverse products as food, paper, textiles, adhesives, beverages, confectionery, packaging, 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 could be used for making various types of packaging products. As a major source of starch in tropical and subtropical regions, cassava is a promising raw material for the development of biodegradable plastics in these areas.
Biodegradable Plastics Market by Type (PLA, PHA, PBS, Starch-Based Plastics, Regenerated Cellulose, PCL), by Application (Packaging, Fibers, Agriculture, Injection Molding, and Others) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2020 says biodegradable plastics market is projected to be worth more than USD 3.4 billion by 2020 growing at around 10% CAGR. Plastics packaging is the most important application of biodegradable plastic and is projected to grow at a rapid pace. Injection molding is an emerging application which is expected to witness is the fastest growth. The growth in the market is also influenced by the increased environmental awareness and concerns among the general population in developing countries.