EFFECTS OF FOOD-ADDITIVES ON STORAGE STABILITY OF CORN TORTILLAS

Corn tortillas containing several food additives were evaluated for rheological properties (rollability and pliability), machinability, moisture content, and organoleptic properties. Vegetable and animal proteins, gums, emulsifiers, modified starches, and polyols were incorporated into nixtamalized corn flour during processing. The moisture content of tortillas was not affected by additives. Storage stability of tortillas, measured as days before rollability score equals 4, was either not affected or improved from three days for the control to four days by the addition of most additives. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and/or gluten, however, increased the storage stability by four days to up to seven days. Storage stability was extended to up to nine days by incorporating a mixture of 0.5% CMC, 2% gluten, and 3% sorbitol into the dough during processing.