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Which palms are important sources of starch such as sago?
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Palm
Wild acai palms (Euterpe oleracea) growing on Combu Island in Belem, state of Para in Brazil.
The primary source of sago is the true sago palm (Metroxylon sagu), a species native to the Indonesian archipelago.1
In addition to the true sago palm, other palms that serve as sources of starch extracted from their pith include:
- Sugar palm (Arenga pinnata)2
- Gebang palm (Corypha elata)2
While the cycad sago (Cycas revoluta) is also used as a source of sago in the Pacific region, it is important to note that it is not a true palm and its extracts require specific processing to remove the neurotoxin cycasin.1