Preparation of native cassava starch and cross‐linked starch blended foams

Starch foams from native cassava starch/cross-linked starch blends were prepared by baking in a hot mold. The native cassava starch/cross-linked starch ratio was varied in the series of 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60, 20/80, and 0/100. The effect of the native cassava starch/cross-linked starch ratio on the properties of foams including density, morphology, water adsorption, impact strength, and thermal stability was investigated. The blending of cross-linked starch resulted in a higher density of the foams. The impact strength of the blend foams were between 232 and 268J/m(2). The adsorption of water by the modified starch (7.3%) and the blend foams (11-12%) was lower than for the native cassava starch foam (13.9%). The size of the cells in the blend starch foam was between the cell size of the native cassava starch and the cross-linked starch foams.