Ingredients Gluten-free
Ingredients Gluten-free Flour from the Tuber Cassava, manioc, yuca - the plant with the botanical name Manihot esculenta has many names. It is valued for its starchy roots and is cultivated in many tropical regions. There it is one of the staple foods. Today, the root tuber can also be found in our shops from time to time. Cassava flour is particularly popular. The slightly sweet-tasting flour has excellent baking properties. It is naturally gluten-free and suitable for people with coeliac disease. The Import Promotion Desk (IPD), a project of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, supports companies in South America, Africa and Asia in bringing their cassava products to the European market. „Companies in the IPD programme offer both the cassava root and the flour obtained from the root,“ says Angie Martinez, expert for Sourcing + Markets at IPD. „Local processing increases the added value of the producers - benefiting both the companies and the people in the region.“ Photos: ID Ladang Maniok, IPD, Germany Widespread foodstuff The Manihot esculenta plant originally comes from South America. The Portuguese colonisers brought the plant to Africa, from where it spread to Asia. The plant forms lateral roots underground, which develop into root tubers five to ten centimetres thick and of varying lengths. The root is dark brown on the outside and light to reddish on the inside. The cassava plant is undemanding, grows well in poor soil and can withstand drought. Another advantage: cassava can be harvested all year round. In many regions, especially in Asia, Central and South Africa, cassava with its starchy root tubers is the main source of food. The tubers are boiled or fried, they are processed into flour, which is made into baked goods and pasta, and they are also used as the basis for alcoholic drinks, such as the cassava beer Kashiri. Due to its widespread use, the root tuber is also known as the tropical potato. Gluten-free baking alternative Cassava flour is in demand because the gluten-free flour has good baking properties. It has a high starch content and a fine texture. The powdery cassava flour can be used to make soft and elastic doughs that are easy to work with. This is due to the flour‘s high binding capacity. The good water absorption also keeps the baked goods fresh for longer. Thanks to these properties, cassava flour can be used as a one-to-one replacement for gluten-containing flour in many recipes. The slightly sweet flavour goes well with both sweet and savoury recipes. Cassava flour is therefore equally suitable for bread, cakes, pastries and pasta. „The demand for gluten-free products is increasing on the European market“, explains Angie Martinez from the IPD. „In this context, interest in cassava flour and foods based on gluten-free flour, such as baked goods and pasta, is growing.“ Production of cassava flour After harvesting, the cassava root must be processed quickly because it spoils easily. When the roots are exported, they are usually frozen or coated with wax. The roots are poisonous when raw. They contain linamarin, which turns 18 food Marketing & Technology • August 2025
Ingredients into hydrocyanic acid. The hydrocyanic acid is destroyed by heating. Difference between tapioca and manioc flour Tapioca is also made from the cassava root. It is a flavourless plant starch that can be used in the same way as potato or corn starch. While tapioca consists only of the extracted starch from the tuber, the entire peeled and dried root is used for cassava flour. In this way, cassava flour consists of starch, fiber and other nutrients. This special composition is the reason for its good baking properties. The production of cassava flour differs from region to region. The IPD company „Ladang Sehat“ from Indonesia produces fermented cassava flour. To produce it, the root tubers are cleaned, peeled and cut into thin pieces. These pieces are fermented to break down the toxin linamarin. Fermentation also improves the availability of nutrients and ensures a better texture and digestibility of the flour. This process also contributes to the development of flavour by making the flour milder and less bitter. Finally, the pieces are dried and ground into fine flour. „Ladang Sehat“ works closely with local farmers from whom the company sources the cassava roots. It processes the roots into high-quality cassava flour in modern production facilities. In addition to flour, the IPD company also produces gluten-free baking mixes, noodles and snacks. fmt For more information: www.importpromotiondesk.de food Marketing & Technology • August 2025 19
