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In recent years inspectors have become increasingly concerned about traditional nixtamalization methods. Many tortilla manufacturers across the US have had inspectors make them through away steeping corn. During inspections many tortilla manufacturers have been unable to demonstrate the safety of the steeping process to regulators. The inspectors concern is two fold. First they are concerned about the safety of the nixtamalization process, which lacks time and temperature controls and relies solely on pH for microbiological pathogen control. Second, as the regulations are currently written there is an exemption for acidified foods from time temperature controls but not for alkaline foods like nixtamalized corn. Tortilla manufacturers have been able to demonstrate the safety of the nixtamalization process to inspectors with the following flow chart.
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