Starch is a white, tasteless, solid carbohydrate occuring in the form of minute granules in the seeds, tubers, and other parts of plants, and forming an important constituent of corn, cassava, potatoes and many other vegetable food. Aside from their basic nutritional uses, starches are used in brewing and as thickening agents in baked goods and confections. Starch is used in paper manufacturing to increase the strength of paper and is also used in the surface sizing of paper. Starch is used in the manufacture of corrugated paperboard, paper bags and boxes, and gummed paper and tape. Large quantities of starch are also used in the textile industry as warp sizing, which imparts strength to the thread during weaving.