Communication: New tartaric acid starch ethers have been synthesized applying starch sources of different amylose content. The reactions were carried out heterogeneously in ethanol/water mixtures with cis-disodiumepoxysuccinate as etherifying reagent leading to products of a degree of sub stitution (DS) up to 0.3. The molecular structure of the new starch ethers was evaluated by elemental analysis, FTIR and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. Preliminary studies using a convenient titration method indicate a high binding capacity for Ca2+ ions which is dependent on the starch source and DS.