Abstract: Thermoplastic starch-based materials formed as a reactive extrusion product from one or more starches, plasticizers, with the addition of a diacid, diglycidyl ether, silicone and/or a glyceride additive added during gelatinization of the starch and plasticizer, before blending of such starch-based polymeric material with any other polymer (e.g., polyester biopolymers, polyolefins, polyamides, etc.). Silicones, where added, may alternatively be added after formation of the thermoplastic starch, e.g., as part of a masterbatch, when blending with another polymer. Addition of silicone reduces glycerin migration and smoke generation, particularly when processing such compositions to form nonwovens. Addition of glycerides (e.g., triglycerides) can increase hydrophobicity of the resulting starch-based polymeric material.