Starch from the cassava root, used to bind kibble and as a carbohydrate source, especially in grain-free foods. It is nearly pure starch with little protein, fiber or micronutrients, and it is one of the least likely ingredients to trigger an allergy. A food that leans on tapioca for carbohydrate is getting easy digestibility and little else from it, which is fine as long as the rest of the recipe carries the nutrition.
How it appears on labels
You may see it listed as tapioca starch, tapioca flour, modified tapioca starch, cassava, cassava root.
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Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual, nutritional requirements of dogs and cats
- AAFCO ingredient definitions
