Baked starch foams were characterized by several physical methods in order to better understand the relationship between profess parameters and starch foam structure. In this process, a thin-walled object such as a plate is formed by heating a starch batter inside a closed mould. Normal corn and potato starches are gelatinized by this treatment but some swollen granules remain. The foams have a dense outer skin and a less dense interior with large, mostly open cells. Overall foam density and strength increase with increasing starch concentration, molecular weight and amylose content. Foam flexibility tends to increase with decreasing density. Plates made from tuber starches such as potato have lower densities and higher flexibilities than those made from cereal starches such as corn. Starch foams are useful as disposable food packaging and serving articles which can be composted after use.