Effect of Nixtamalization Processing Temperature on Maize Hydration and the Textural Properties of Masa and Tortillas

Abstract

The traditional process of nixtamalization to elaborate tortillas involves cooking in ash‐lime the maize to produce masa. The aim of this work was to evaluate the hydration of maize and the textural properties of masa and tortillas produced under different nixtamalization conditions. The main variable that was studied was cooking temperature, comparing temperatures of 60C and 50C with 90C, which is traditionally used. The estimated water diffusion coefficients were 2.71 × 10−8 (90C), 1.82 × 10−8 (60C) and 0.93 × 10−8 m2/s (50C). The textural properties, adhesiveness (−2.05 to −1.93 N) and cohesiveness (0.12 to 0.13) of the masa did not show significant differences. Likewise, fresh tortillas did not exhibit significant differences in extensibility (1.03 to 1.22 N) or rollability (0.22 to 0.29 N). Employing the proposed nixtamalization process (low temperature), masa and tortillas with a similar quality to commercial products can be obtained. Practical Aplications This research will have practical applications in the industrial production of masa and tortillas. The results indicate that the hydration of maize in the two proposed processes results in masa with the necessary characteristics to achieve hydration. In addition, the textural properties of the masa and tortillas are similar to those of commercial products. This study will contribute to the reduction of energy costs during the preparation of masa and tortillas.

Physicochemical characterization of flours and rheological and textural changes of masa and tortillas obtained from maize fertilized with nejayote and ovine manure

“…Compared to the samples without nejayote and ovine manure, the addition of ovine manure has a significant effect on the rollability loss. However, the results obtained coincide with those reported by Peña-Reyes et al (2017), who evaluated the impact of different nixtamalization conditions on the textural properties and reporting values between 0.22 to 0.29 N in freshly prepared tortillas. In the present study, the addition of nejayote as a fertilizer during the development and growth of maize cob is the factor with the most considerable influence on rollability.…”

“…In the present study, the addition of nejayote as a fertilizer during the development and growth of maize cob is the factor with the most considerable influence on rollability. Nonetheless, the results obtained were lower than 0.8 N, which implies that they had an acceptable rollability behaviour compared to other studies (Peña-Reyes et al, 2017;Wu and Arntfield, 2016), in which the subjective rollability was greater than 4. Moreover, water absorption is an important parameter which depends on the characteristics of maize, and therefore, on the nutritional conditions of the plant during the development of the maize cob.…”

Chemical, physical, and sensory properties of nixtamalized oat tortillas

“…While significant statistically, the overall range across all treatments was fairly narrow, between 1.52 and 1.55 N, in the oat masa. Adhesiveness values we observed in oat masa were lower than corn masa values of 1.93–2.05 N reported by Peña‐Reyes et al (2016), but higher than corn masa values of 0.79–0.91 N (80.5–93.1 g) reported by Burton et al (2008). At the moisture and adhesiveness values observed in our lab, oat masas from all treatments handled well and did not present difficulty sheeting and cutting.…”

“…The rupture force measured during the extensibility test was also evaluated (Table 3). The force for fresh oat tortillas ranged from 202.40 to 294.34 g, whereas the tortillas that were analyzed 3 days later had a force that varied from 163.87 to 198.79 g. The lower extensibility and rupture force scores in the 3‐day samples can probably be attributed to the exclusion of water and accompanying retrogradation that occurs during the storage time, resulting in a product with lower flexibility and elasticity and greater brittleness (Peña‐Reyes et al, 2016). The five brands of commercial corn tortillas that were analyzed for extensibility had rupture forces ranging from 206.91 to 341.67 g. It is important to point out that the higher the rupture force, the stronger and often more flexible the tortilla is.…”

Canola oil/candelilla wax oleogel improves texture, retards staling and reduces in vitro starch digestibility of maize tortillas

“…The popularity of tortilla has extended to the USA, becoming the segment with fastest growth within the baking industry. Tortillas are made with nixtamalized maize grains, where grains are cooked in an aqueous lime solution, subjected to overnight steeping, and then washed and grinded to obtain a wet smooth dough or masa . In Mexico, this process is still conducted overwhelmingly at small artisanal facilities named ‘nixtamales’.…”