Tortilla maize

Maize. Bread is made from maize flour in Latin America. Mexican tortillas are an unleavened maize bread, i.e. they are essentially chapatis made from maize rather than wheat flour. 

Kodicek et al. (1959) have reported (Fig. 2) that approximately half the vitamin E activity of maize is due to a-tocopherol, and that one-third the total tocopherol activity was lost during 12 weeks storage at room temperature. They also prepared tortilla according to the folk method described by us (Cravioto et al., 1945) in which the grain is steeped in warm 1 % lime... 

Maize is an important source for human nutrition, and is consumed either directly or as processed foods such as tortillas or porridge (19). Maize starch is... 

Maize is hardy and easy to cultivate and is widely grown in Central and South America, South Africa and parts of Southern Europe. It may be boiled and made into a porridge or baked into tortillas. Cornflakes consist of maize cooked and treated with malt and honey and then dried, rolled and baked. 

Treatment of cereals with alkali (for example soaking overnight in calcium hydroxide solution, as is the traditional method for the preparation of tortillas in Mexico) releases much of the nicotinic acid. This may explain why pellagra has always been rare in Mexico, despite the fact that maize is the dietary staple. Up to 10% of the niacin in niacytin may be biologically available as a result of hydrolysis by gastric acid. 

The milling of maize into masa and its derived products is gaining popularity worldwide because this process yields tortillas, considered as the main staple for Mexicans and Central Americans, and fried snacks such as corn and tortilla chips widely consumed all over the world (see Chapter 9). 

The alkaline cooking or nixtamalization of whole maize has become important in the United States and other parts of the world dne to the increase in popularity of Mexican foods. Three basic types of prodncts are indnstrially produced from alkaline or lime-cooked maize table or soft tortillas, com chips, and tortilla chips (Sema-Saldivar et al. 1990). Corn and tortilla chips are primarily produced and con-snmed in developed countries, where they have an important share within the salted snack food market, whereas table tortillas constitnte the staple food for large groups of people in developing Latin American countries. These prodncts can be produced... 

Blue corn is a floury or soft endosperm type that generally grows in long ears (8-12 rows). The aleurone layer contains anthocyanins that impart the blue appearance. Blue corn is especially prized as ceremonial maize by the North American Indian tribes and is currently being used to produce organic flours and foods such as tortilla chips (Chapter 12). The blue com contains higher levels of phenolics that are an excellent source of antioxidants. 

Cereals are considered one of the best sources of B-vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, and folates, but a poor source of fat-soluble vitamins and vitamin Bi2. Most B-vitamins are associated with the aleurone. The niacin associated with cereals is found in free and bound forms. Bound niacin is not well utilized by the human system. Interestingly, the alkaline treatment of maize for production of tortillas and other traditional food products increases niacin bioavailability because the alkali and heat treatment breaks the glycosidic bond that binds free niacin with the other components (Chapters 9 and 17). 

Tortillas represent 30% of aU baked product sales in the United States and continue to be the most popular food in Mexico and Central America. Approximately, 120 million tortillas are consumed yearly in the United States, making these the second most popular baked product after white bread. An average Mexican consumes more than 80 kg of maize tortillas annually. Today, derived products such as flat tostadas and tortilla chips are extensively sold as snacks and in the preparation of fast foods (Chapter 12). Tostadas are the base for the preparation of a wide array of meals. Taco shells are the American version of tostadas, the only difference being that they are usually fried bent (U form) and rarely colored. Regular and low-fat tostadas and taco shells are available in grocery stores in Mexico and the United States. 

Maize kernels, lime, and water are the basic ingredients used in alkaline cooking for making masa and table tortillas. Other additives are connmonly nsed, especially when processing dry masa flours. Hydrocolloids or gums, anulsiliers, acidulants, preservatives, and enrichment mixes are used. These additives improve microbial and textural tortilla shelf life and nutritional properties. 

How does lime-cooking affect the nutritional value of maize Why is pellagra virtually unknown in Mexico and other tortilla-consuming conntries ... 

Investigate the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of blue maize and quality protein maize tortillas. 

Amaya-Guerra, C., Sema-Saldivar, S.O., and Alanis-Guzman, M.G. 2006. Soybean fortification and enrichment of regular and quality protein maize tortillas affects brain development and maze performance of rats. Br. J. Nutr. 96 161-168. 

Bressani, R. 1990. Chemistry, technology, and nutritive value of maize tortillas. Foods Rev. Int. 62(6) 225-264. 

Rubio, M. 1989. La Industria de la Harina y la Tortilla. Su Modemizacidn. In La Industria del Ma(z. Maiz Industrializado Conasupo, Gruma y Grupo Azabache. Mexico, DF. 

Serna-Saldivar, S.O., Herrera Macias, P., Amaya Guerra, C. A., Melesio Cuellar, J.L., Preciado Ortiz, R.E., Tenon Ibarra, A.D., and Vazquez Carrillo, G. 2008b. Evaluation of the lime-cooking and tortilla making properties of quality protein maize hybrids grown in Mexico. Plant Foods Human Nutr. 63(3) 119-125. 

Lime-cooked maize snacks are the fastest-growing market within the salted category. In the United States, volume and sales of tortilla chips in 2003 were estimated at 692 million kilograms and more than 4.5 billion in sales (Anonymous 2004). 

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