The tapioca starch market is quickly growing as more and more people are realizing its health benefits. It is gluten and allergens free and according to market research firm fact.MR, the tapioca starch market is currently valued at US$4.5bn and is projected to grow at CAGR of 6.1% over the forecast period, from 2018 to 2028.
Since it is gluten free, tapioca is a perfect ingredient in food products that appeal to consumers suffering from celiac disease.
Besides, tapioca also reduces cholesterol level, maintains blood sugar level and also helps to prevent constipation. Being a rich source of calcium, manganese, folate, and iron, the root starch can be also beneficial for pregnant women.
Moreover, tapioca helps metabolize carbohydrates. All these health benefits are expected to fuel the demand for tapioca based starches across the world.
But can it compete with corn and potato starches that already have an established market?
Although, corn and potato starch already have an established market, the research firm believes that the industry is opening up to new alternatives and tapioca is certainly one of them.
Tapioca can leverage on the disadvantages of potato and corn starch some of them being their ‘undesired cereal flavor’, ‘cloudy appearances’, and ‘lower tendency to gel’. This together with tapioca starch’s own advantages such as resistance to longer cooking times, persistent quality during food reheating and freezing processes, and complete dissolution with high viscosity and clarity retention property have already boosted its adoption in the food industry - especially the tapioca extract market.
Find out more about tapioca starch markets at CMT’s 8th Starch World Asia on 23-24 January, 2019 in Bangkok.
