There are no U.S. grade standards for Arrowroot. These instructions have been developed by the Specialty Crops Inspection Division to assist officially licensed inspectors in making inspections, writing certificates and to assist in the proper identification of specialty type fruits and vegetables.
Arrowroot (Goo, Yuquilla, See Goo, Chinese Potato, Pitisilen, Chok-Woo, Tacca) is a perennial of South American origin and grows 2 to 3 feet high. The root itself is very smooth and partially covered with dry, scaly leaves at the time of harvest. Gardeners usually grow arrowroot for the production of starch for home consumption. Only young arrowroot which is not suitable for starch extraction finds its way to the market. The roots are washed and then boiled in salted water until tender. It is cultivated on the islands of the West Indies for the extraction of the starch from the tubers, but other higher yielding starchy tubers have begun to replace it. In the early days of European voyages across the Atlantic it was used in the West Indies as a treatment of wounds by poisoned arrows - hence the name.
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