Investigation of cassava starch and sago production technology in India

The production of cassava starch and sage is a major industry in Tamil Nadu. Recently production operations have undergone little technological change. To help the industry to adapt to changing circumstances and identify areas for development and improvement baseline data is required on current technology. This paper presents the results of a detailed and in-depth investigation of the operation of a starch and sage factory in Salem. Data is presented on the major processing operations employed and the inputs required. Particular emphasis is placed on the volume and composition of the waste waters produced. Process bottlenecks are identified and areas for development and improvement are discussed.