CASHEW NUT SHELL OIL
Blogs
Modified Tapioca Starch in Ketchup: Stable Texture & Clean‑Label Solution
Modified tapioca starch in ketchup helps manufacturers achieve stable viscosity, smooth texture, and longer shelf life while meeting gluten-free and clean-label trends. It is an ideal solution for brands that want premium-quality ketchup with consistent performance during processing, transport, and storage.
Modified tapioca starch is cassava-based starch that has been physically or chemically treated to withstand acid, heat, and shear in ketchup production. Compared with native starches, it offers better stability during cooking, hot filling, and long-term storage in low‑pH tomato sauces.
How it works in ketchup
In ketchup, modified tapioca starch swells and forms a stable gel network that builds viscosity and keeps tomato paste, sugar, and spices uniformly dispersed. This structure helps prevent phase separation and water pooling on the surface, even when bottles are shaken, squeezed, or exposed to temperature fluctuations.
Technical benefits for ketchup manufacturers
Reduces syneresis and separation, keeping the ketchup surface smooth and visually appealing throughout shelf life.
Maintains thickness in acidic conditions and during hot‑fill or pasteurization, helping to avoid batch failures and rework costs.
Delivers a pleasant, “creamy‑thick” mouthfeel that coats fries well while still pouring easily from bottles or pouches.
Advantages over other starches and gums
Compared with corn starch, modified tapioca starch provides a cleaner taste and brighter appearance, allowing natural tomato flavor and color to stand out. Versus some hydrocolloids like xanthan gum, it offers a more familiar, less “slimy” texture that many consumers prefer in everyday table ketchup.
Application ideas in ketchup formulation
R&D teams can use modified tapioca starch to increase thickness in cost‑optimized recipes with lower tomato solids while keeping a premium texture. It is also useful in reduced‑sugar or reduced‑salt ketchup, where viscosity is harder to control and separation risk is higher.
Conclusion
Manufacturers looking to upgrade ketchup stability, texture, and label appeal can benefit from incorporating modified tapioca starch into their formulations. Working with an experienced tapioca starch supplier from Vietnam enables reliable sourcing, technical support, and competitive ingredient costs for global markets.
