Improving the Dietary Fiber Content of Tapioca Using Corn Fiber as a Fiber Supplement

This research aims to enhance the dietary fiber content of locally produced cassava (manihot spp) food, tapioca, by incorporating corn (Zea mays) as a fiber supplement. Tapioca was prepared by grating cassava into coarse particles and washing it with water to remove starch. Starch analysis was conducted using a spectrophotometric method, revealing a starch content of 70.21% before washing and pressing, and 64.95% after washing and pressing. The tapioca samples were blended with corn fiber (obtained from wet milling of corn seeds that were destarched and dried in the sun) in various ratios: Sample A (100% pure tapioca), Sample B (90% tapioca, 10% corn), Sample C (80% tapioca, 20% corn), Sample D (70% tapioca, 30% corn), and Sample E (60% tapioca, 40% corn). Proximate analysis was performed on the blends to assess the increase in fiber content and any other changes introduced by the corn. Organoleptic properties such as binding, crunchiness, and color were also evaluated. The analysis revealed that the fiber content of tapioca increased from 2.7% to 3.95%, with the blend containing 70% tapioca and 30% fiber showing the highest increase in fiber content and good binding properties.