Cassava (Manihot esculent Crantz) or tapioca is a perennial plant widely grown in many tropical countries, including Thailand as one of the most important commercial crops. At present, there are 1 million hectares devoted to cassava planting in Thailand producing annually 20 million tons of roots.

Since cassava roots contain a high starch content, but low quantity of impurities such as protein and lipid, they are recognized as an excellent source of pure starch suitable for a wide range of applications. The most important characteristics of cassava starch are odorless, paste clarity, and stickiness. These remarkable characteristics of cassava starch are enable to be conveniently and readily blended with other flavoring and coloring agents. Cassava is not only used as a food security, but it is also served as a source of chemical reagent, feed stock of all fermentation processes, and adhesive substance.

The various applications of cassava starch are appealing to the industrial sector for starch manufacturing process and have been supported by Thai government as an important agro-industrial product. As a result, the Cassava Starch Technology Research Unit was established in 1995 by the cooperation between the government sectors including the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Kasetsart University and the private sector including the Thai Tapioca Development Institute (TTDI). The Unit is located at Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute (KAPI), Kasetsart University.