Characterization of Bitter Cassava Starch from the Town of Loum in Cameroon for Potential Use in Thermoplastic Composites

Abstract

Starches are often used as a matrix in the development of thermoplastic composites. This study seeks to show that bitter cassava starch extracted from cassava tubers from the town of Loum, the highest producing area in Cameroon, can be used in the development of composite films. Various literature protocols were used for the different characterizations. The results showed a cassava starch content of 40% in the composite, a water content of 13.58%, an ash content of 0.51%, an oil retention capacity of 0.737 g/g, a retrogradation of 41.5%, and amylose and amylopectin contents of 26.5% and 73.50%, respectively. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) showed that the bitter cassava starch is a polysaccharide, and thermal analysis gave a thermal stability of 190 °C during heating. In view of these results, we suggest the bitter cassava starch from the town of Loum in Cameroon could be used as a matrix in the production of composites, particularly composite films.