Tapioca Starch
» Tapioca Starch consists of the starch granules separated from the tubers of tapioca (cassava) [Manihot utilissima Pohl (Fam. Euphorbiaceae)].
Packaging and storage—
Preserve in well-closed containers. No storage requirements specified.
Identification—
A:
Examine Tapioca Starch under a microscope, using not less than 20× magnification and using glycerin as the mounting agent: it appears as spherical granules with one truncated side, typically having a 5- to 35-µm diameter and having circular or several-rayed central clefts.
B:
Suspend 1 g of Tapioca Starch in 50 mL of water, boil for 1 minute, and cool: a thin, cloudy mucilage is formed.
C:
To 1 mL of the mucilage obtained in Identification test B add 0.05 mL of iodine and potassium iodide TS 2: an orange-red to dark blue color is produced, which disappears on heating.
Microbial enumeration tests
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pH
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Loss on drying
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Residue on ignition
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Iron
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Limit of oxidizing substances—
Transfer 4.0 g of Tapioca Starch to a glass-stoppered, 125-mL conical flask, and add 50.0 mL of water. Insert the stopper, and swirl for 5 minutes. Decant into a glass-stoppered, 50-mL centrifuge tube, and centrifuge to clarify. Transfer 30.0 mL of the clear supernatant to a glass-stoppered, 125-mL conical flask. Add 1 mL of glacial acetic acid and 0.5 to 1.0 g of potassium iodide. Insert the stopper, swirl, and allow to stand for 25 to 30 minutes in the dark. Add 1 mL of starch TS, and titrate with 0.002 N sodium thiosulfate VS to the disappearance of the starch–iodide color. Perform a blank determination, and make any necessary correction (see Titrimetry
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Limit of sulfur dioxide—
Mix 20 g of Tapioca Starch with 200 mL of water until a smooth suspension is obtained, and filter. To 100 mL of the clear filtrate add 3 mL of starch TS, and titrate with 0.01 N iodine solution VS to the first permanent blue color. Not more than 1.7 mL is consumed: not more than 0.005% of sulfur dioxide is found.
Auxiliary Information—
Please check for your question in the FAQs before contacting USP.
USP32–NF27 Page 1359
Pharmacopeial Forum: Volume No. 30(5) Page 1672
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