A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the document that proves a specific lot of starch meets its specification. For B2B buyers it is the single most useful quality document, because it turns a supplier’s claims into lot-level evidence. Here is what a complete native tapioca starch COA should contain — and what each parameter tells you.
Physical and chemical parameters
- Moisture (%) — affects shelf life and flow. Too high and the starch can cake or spoil; it is controlled to a tight range.
- Starch content / purity (%) — how much of the product is actually starch versus fibre and other solids. Higher is better for performance and yield.
- Whiteness / brightness — a proxy for cleanliness and processing quality; native tapioca starch should be bright white.
- pH — indicates how neutral the starch is, which matters for sensitive formulations.
- Viscosity — the functional heart of the starch: its thickening power and paste behaviour. Specify how it’s measured (e.g. peak viscosity) so lots are comparable.
- Ash (%) — residual minerals after burning; a low ash level signals thorough washing and refining.
- Fineness / mesh — particle size, which affects dispersion and texture.
- SO₂ (ppm) — residual sulphur dioxide, which separates food and industrial grades. See our guide to SO₂ grades.
Microbiological parameters
For food-grade starch, a COA should also report microbiology — typically total plate count, yeast and mould, and the absence of pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli — tested against your market’s limits.
Why the supplier’s system matters
A COA is only as trustworthy as the quality system behind it. Starch produced under FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP and GHP — independently audited by SGS — means every lot is tested against its specification before release, and the testing is part of a certified food-safety management system rather than an ad-hoc check.
Getting a COA
At TQ Industry Starch, detailed specifications and a lot-specific COA are available on request. Contact us with your product grade and destination and we’ll share the specification and a sample.