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Compostable/Biodegradable Food Service Products

TAPIOCA
• Oven , Microwave & Freezer Safe
• Even and gentle heat distribution
• Cook & Serve ready
• No messy clean up. Can be disposed of in home or commercial composting or through the paper recycling stream if composting is not available.
• Made mostly from annually renewable starch materials, such as tapioca.
• Eliminates waste of water & energy needed to wash trays and dishes
• FDA-Approved and certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute

Tapioca is a starch extracted from the root of the plant species Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon (e.g., Brazil), is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, bitter-cassava, manioc, "mandioca", "aipim", "macaxeira", "manioca", "boba", "yuca" (not to be confused with yucca), "Sagudana" (literally, Sagu drops)--with local variation of "Sabudana"--and "kappa". In Vietnam, it is called bột năng.

The name tapioca is derived from the word tipi'óka, the name for this starch in Tupi. This Tupi word refers to the process by which the starch is made edible. However, as the word moved out of South America it came to refer to similar preparations made with other esculents.

Cassava root

Baked Tapioca dish

Tapioca is a staple food in some regions and is used worldwide as a thickening agent, mainly in foods. Tapioca is gluten free, and almost completely protein free. 'Tapioca' in Britain often refers to a milk pudding thickened with arrowroot, while in Asia the sap of the Sago palm is often part of its preparation.

Small pearl tapioca before soaking (opaque)

Colored tapioca sticks (translucent)

The cassava plant has either red or green branches with blue spindles on them. The toxin found in the root of the red-branched variant is less harmful to humans than the green-branched variety. Therefore, while the root of the red/purple-branched variant can be consumed directly, the root of the green-branched variant requires treatment to remove the toxin. 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: powder, fine or coarse flakes or meal, 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, to rehydrate them; they will easily absorb water equal to twice their volume, becoming leathery and swollen. All these products traditionally are white, but sticks and pearls may be colored. The oldest and most common color is brown, but pastel colors are now available. In all its forms tapioca starch is opaque before cooking; and become translucent when cooked.

In various Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia) tapioca pearls are used and can be mistaken for sago pearls also known as sagudana or sabudana (Pearl Sago) also called 'Sabba Akki' (ಕನ್ನಡ : ಶಾಬಕ್ಕಿ) in Kannada. Also the pearls (sagudana or sabudana) are used to make snacks.

In Indian cuisine, the granular preparation of cassava starch also keera is known as tapioca. It can also be used to thicken puddings.

Tapioca is widely consumed in the state of Kerala. It is either boiled or cooked with spices. Tapioca with fish curry is a delicacy Kerala is known for. Thinly sliced tapioca wafers, similar to potato chips, are popular too. Cassava, often referred to as tapioca in English, is called Kappa (കപ്പ) Kizhangu or Poola (in northern Kerala) or Maracheeni Kizhangu or Cheeni or Kolli in Malayalam. Tapioca is used to make a granule like product (Tapioca Pearls) called chowwary in Malayalam. Chowwary is used to make a light porridge by adding milk or buttermilk, recommended for patients recovering from illness.

Tapioca is also available in Andhra Pradesh and coastal regions and is called with the name "Karrapendalam" in Telugu. Cassava is called "kanda" or "penDalam" in Telugu. In Kannada, the actual cassava root is called kolli.

The Tapioca Pearls are known as "Sabu dana" in Marathi. It is commonly used as a Khichdi preparation during fasting, popularly called Sabudana Khichadi, among Hindus in Western and central part of India (Gujarat & Maharashtra region). Sabudana vada is common in Maharashtrian cuisine as well.

Tapioca Plant in early stage

Tapioca Plant in full maturity

In Tamil, the roots of tapioca are called Kuchikezangu, and are used to prepare chips. . Tapioca chips are also prepared in parts of South India.

In Tamil Nadu, Tapioca is cultivated more in the districts of Erode, Namakkal and Salem. In Tamil Nadu, there are so many Tapioca Processing units and they are called Sago Factories. A large number of tapioca industries are found in Attur Taluk, Salem District. Salem City has a marketing center for the sago (known as "Javvarisi").
In these factories the Sabudana (Hindi) / Javvarisi (Tamil) is produced and distributed throughout India and exported to different countries.

The cultivation of Tapioca is manpower intensive only at the time of plantation and harvest and it provides a steady income to the farmers. Tapioca roots are one of the cheapest food available for the poor. The Tapioca called Maravallikilangu can be consumed raw (after removing the skins / outer cover). It can be boiled also and different dishes like Uppuma (Tamil) can be made. It can also be made into Chips to use as snacks during tea time.

In Northern India during the festival season, Sabudana is usually consumed during Vrat (Hindi) or fasting, either prepared as a "Khichdi" (savory) Sabudana Khichadi or Kheer (Sweet).

Tapioca is also referred to as "Poor Man's Food" and is known as Manioc in Sri Lanka and Mauritius also by its Sinhalese and Tamil names, generally eaten boiled with a chili onion mixture or coconut symbol.

Tapioca chips, baked in sand 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. Tapai is made by fermenting large blocks with a yeast-like bacteria culture to produce a sweet and slightly alcoholic dessert. 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.

Commercially prepared tapioca has many uses. Tapioca powder is commonly used as a thickener for soups and other liquid foods, and 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 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.

It is then 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.

Tapioca cracker from Indonesia sold in a Los Angeles, California market

The popular savory snack, Skips, is 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. In Brazilian cuisine, tapioca is used for different types of meals. The tapioca is stirred, drained through a sieve, fried into a tortilla shape, and often sprinkled with coconut. Then it may be buttered and eaten as a toast (its most common use as a breakfast dish), or it may be filled or topped with either doces (sweet) or salgados (salty) ingredients, which define the kind of meal the tapioca is used for: breakfast, afternoon tea or dessert. Choices range from butter, cheese, chocolate, bananas with condensed milk, chocolate with bananas, to various forms of meats and served warm. A traditional dessert called sagu is also made from pearl tapioca cooked with cinnamon and cloves in red wine. A restaurant which specializes in tapioca-based dishes (mostly fillings) is called in Brazil a tapiocaria. 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.

While frequently associated with dessert in the United States, tapioca is now being used by some cooks in other courses as well.[citation needed] Chef Thomas Keller serves oysters on tapioca. The pairing, called "Oysters and Pearls," is considered Keller's "signature dish."

During World War II's Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia, many refugees survived on tapioca, as the plant is easily propagated by stem-cutting, grows well in low-nutrient soils, and can be harvested every two months. (However, to grow to full maturity, it takes 10 months). The plant thus provided much needed carbohydrate and protein.

A casabe is a thin flatbread made from bitter cassava root without leavening. It was originally produced by the Native American Arawak and Carib nations because these roots were a very common plant of the rain forests where they lived. In eastern Venezuela many Native American ethnic groups still make casabe and it remains their main bread-like food. Native American communities including the Ye-Kuana, Kari-Ña, Yanomami, Guarao or Warao are from either the Caribe or Arawac Nations and still make casabe.

To make casabe, the starchy root of bitter cassava is ground to a pulp, then squeezed to expel a milky, bitter liquid called yare which carries the poisonous substances with it out of the pulp. Traditionally, this squeezing is done in a sebucan, an 8 to 12-foot (3.7 m) long tube-shaped pressure strainer woven in a characteristic helical pattern from palm leaves. The sebucan usually is hung from a tree branch or ceiling pole, and it has a closed bottom with a loop that is attached to a fixed stick or lever, which is used to stretch the sebucan. When the lever is pushed down,stretching the sebucan, the helical weaving pattern causes the strainer to squeeze the pulp inside. This is similar to the action of a Chinese finger trap. The pulp is then spread in thin, round cakes about 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter on a budare' to roast or toast.

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. Just a subtle sprinkle of a few drops of liquid is enough to transform a very dry casabe into a very soft and smooth bread very similar to the softest slice of a wheat bread loaf, an incredible change in texture. Because of its capacity to absorb liquid immediately, casabe may cause someone to choke, but goes down quickly with a sip of liquid. In Guyana, South America the casabe is simply called cassava bread. It is prepared with an instrument called a matape by the natives of the Rupununi Savanah and other areas of the country that have a high concentration of Amerindians.

Pearl tapioca is also known as boba to some cultures. Pearl tapioca is a common ingredient in Asian desserts such as kolak, in tapioca pudding, andin 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; large pearls are preferred for use in drinks. These large pearls most often are brown, not white (and traditionally are used in black or green tea drinks), but are available in a wide variety of pastel colors. Not only are they used in drinks, they are also available as an option in shaved ice and hot drinks. The most famous drink called boba/pearl milk tea can be found in many places.

Tapioca root can also be used to manufacture environmentally friendly plastic Biodegradable bags. A polymer resin produced from the plant is a viable plastic substitute that is not only biodegradable, but is also compostable, renewable, and recyclable. The resulting product biodegrades in less than 1 year, as opposed to thousands of years for traditional plastics.

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