Fresh masa

Compare typical flowcharts of fresh masa and dry masa operations. What are the major processing changes ... 

Maize is usually batch cooked in fresh masa operations and continuously cooked in dry masa operations. In fresh masa operations, three basic types of cookers are commercially used open vats, Hamilton steam-jacketed kettles, and vertical closed cookers (Sema-Saldivar et al. 1990). The open vat is the oldest and most intensive in terms of energy expenditure, labor, and control. The Hamilton steam cooker is widely used, and the maize is indirectly cooked with steam and the heat transfer enhanced by mechanical agitation. The vertical cooker employs direct steam... 

Prehispanic beverage made out of fermented masa. Fresh masa is wrapped in banana leaves and allowed to naturally ferment for 3-5 days. The fermented masa is diluted in water and consumed as a beverage. It is considered the major source of nutrients and the job beverage for some indigenous groups in south Mexico. 

FIGURE 9.2 Flowchart of industrial processes for the manufacture of table tortillas from fresh masa.245... 

Extruded com chips are made from coarsely ground masa either from fresh nixtamal or dry masa flour, which is extruded and cut into masa chips with different configurations, deep-fat fried, and salted/seasoned (Figure 12.4). Key operations are the extrusion of the masa into different configurations and the deep-fat frying. The masa extruder consists of a horizontal hydraulic piston that forces the masa with at... 

Tortilla chips are generally manufactured from coarsely ground masa either fresh or from dry flour that is sheeted, formed, and cut in preparation for the subsequent steps of baking, equilibration, frying, and salting/seasoning (Figure 12.5). Restaurant-... 

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