Abstract
Cassava starch has many known applications in food, paper, glue and textile industries, including even biodegradable packaging. In small and medium industries, the starch is obtained by washing the peeled and grinded manioc roots, followed by leaving the washwater for settling before drying the concentrated slurry. Since starch particles are very fine and have a low density, their settling time is high, resulting in a batch operation that lasts for 18 to 24 h. Therefore, it becomes suitable to form larger and heavier starch sets by means of applying coagulants, allowing the particles to settle faster. In the work reported here, the natural coagulant M. oleifera seed extract was used to decrease the settling time of the cassava starch. The effect of the initial concentration of the particles and the coagulant content on the final sedimentation time was evaluated on the batch settling tests. The results showed that the use of the coagulant reduced the sedimentation time in a beaker from 14h to 2h, allowing a quick batch operation.
Highlights
Cassava or tapioca starch is the most valued and versatile maniot derived product
The results showed that the use of the coagulant reduced the sedimentation time in a beaker from 14h to 2h, allowing a quick batch operation
According to the Brazilian Association of Cassava Starch Producers, there were about 72 starch manufacturers in Brazil, which produced about 410.9 thousand tons in 2017
Summary
Cassava or tapioca starch is the most valued and versatile maniot derived product. Paper industries apply the cassava starch in paper pulp to act as a binder, offering more resistance to their final product (Cereda, 2005). Thailand is the major world starch exporter, able to produce from 3 to 3.5 million tons per year. Brazil is the second largest cassava starch producer of the world, only 0.8% of its total production was exported, since the industry generates low surplus to serve that purpose (Felipe et al, 2010). According to the Brazilian Association of Cassava Starch Producers, there were about 72 starch manufacturers in Brazil, which produced about 410.9 thousand tons in 2017. Brazil produced 536.6 thousand tons of cassava starch in 2018, about 27% more compared to the year before (Felipe, 2018)
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