Tapioca starch vs Tapioca flour

QUESTION:

You mentioned that tapioca starch is highly processed and that tapioca starch and flour are two different things. I’ve come across some products labelled as tapioca flour (starch)/tapioca starch (flour) – why are the terms interchangeable here? How can we distinguish which one is additive free at the shops if we choose not to shop at TWC. Thank you!

ANSWER:

Yes, there is a difference between tapioca starch, flour and modified tapioca starch.

Tapioca flour is made from the crushed pulp of the cassava root. Cassava flour uses the whole root which tapioca flour use only the starchy pulp. It is normally is made by grinding tapioca pearls down into a powder. That’s it!

Tapioca starch is usually made by washing the pulp, spinning and washing until the mix is mostly pure starch and water. The starch is then dried.

The problem is that many commercial operations use modified tapioca starch and don’t declare the difference on the ingredient label.

Modified tapioca starch is made by physically altering the starch using enzymes or chemicals to change its inherent properties, and is considered an additive.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell just from the label as you don’t know what the processing methods are. This is one of the reasons why I need to ask so many questions of manufacturers to get the truth for you.