Moisture content of tortillas

By: Daniel J. Brooker
www.tortillanews.com

The amount of water in corn and flour tortillas is critical to monitor and control.  For tortillas, water content is the next most important measurement after pH.  Moisture balances are commonly used to measure moisture.  These instruments are fairly simple to use and provide quick results.  A slower more accurate method is to use a laboratory oven set at 125 Celsius and allow the tortillas to dry for at least three hours before weighing the dried samples. 

Wheat flour tortillas usually have moisture contents around 30-32% wet basis.  Corn tortillas have a much wider range of moisture contents.  Table corn tortillas have moisture contents around 46-52% wet basis.  Corn tortillas for frying have moisture contents from 25-46% wet basis.  Lower moisture content is desirable for frying.  Low moisture tortillas will have less problems with greasiness, texture, frying oil life, and profitability due to lower a fat content in finished chips.

Corn tortilla nixtamalizacion process microbiological safety

By Danile J. Brooker
www.tortillanews.com

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.

Read the complete article here.

Our five-ingredient policy

Real corn tortillas only use three basic ingredients: whole corn, lime and water. Then we enrich them with a healthy extra ingredient: amaranth, chia or nopal (prickley pear cactus).  

 

 We commit ourselves to use five ingredients or less because we believe there's no reason to add anything else.  

We created this policy to ensure our clients they are eating a healthy and authentic tortilla free of synthetic additives.

 

Viva la Organic Tortilla!

This post was originally published by Barbara Freiner at www.organicauthority.com
According to a recent report by Scripps Howard News Service, Mexican food is poised to become America’s favorite ethnic cuisine. Reporter Lance Gay writes that we eat four times more Mexican food than we did 20 years ago, and salsa sales are trouncing ketchup. Tortillas are replacing bread as consumers choose wraps and burritos over sandwiches. Tortilla sales, in fact, are 200% higher than they were a decade ago.

This is great news for organic food shoppers, who are finding a much wider variety of fresh chili peppers, salsas, guacamoles and tortillas at local organic and natural food stores.

Gay also notes that Mexican food has almost doubled in popularity among Americans who cook regularly (from 44% in 1985 to 86% in 2003—statistics provided by the Institute of Food Technologists). This homemade fare, which features vegetables and other fresh ingredients, is much more healthful than the cuisine enjoyed at many mainstream Mexican restaurants, whose chefs often rely on lard, entrees that overflow with cheese and the allure of huge portions.

Ironically, as more Hispanics become U.S. residents, their eating habits shift dramatically as they embrace the far-from-healthy standard American diet: frozen meals, salty snacks, junk food and other high-fat fare. They are prime candidates to embrace organic living!

Formulating for the Hispanic market

Hispanics are a diverse and evolving market segment with tremendous purchasing power.  Keep reading the article by Baking Management Magazie.

Make your own tortilla chips!

There are two basic ways of making tortilla chips:

1. Fried. Cut the corn tortillas into wedges. Put a drizzle of oil in a hot skillet and fry the tortillas turning them over as they brown.

2. Baked. Cut the corn tortillas into wedges. Lay them out ona cookie sheet and brush them lightly with oil. If you want to add seasonings add lime juice and sprinkle with coarse salt, chili powder, pepper, or any other species you may want. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes until they turn golden.

These recipes are perfect for corn tortilla leftovers and to avoid extra-fat commercial tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Enfrijoladas (Tortillas in Black Bean Sauce)

A healthy and vegetarian dish that can be served for lunch or breakfast.  SIKANDA corn tortillas are low calorie (less than 30 calories each), the beans have protein and fiber, and queso fresco and feta are naturally low-fat cheeses. About 215 calories per serving.

Ingredients (serves 4)
3 cups cooked black beans
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ onion
12 SIKANDA corn tortillas
1 cup queso fresco or feta cheese
1 cup minced cilantro
Optional: sour cream

Preparation

1.    If you are cooking the black beans from scratch, you can combine the dried beans with water, garlic, onion, olive oil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. If you are using canned beans, put the beans with the garlic, onion and olive oil and ~1 1/2 cups water and simmer about 15 minutes, until the beans are soupy and the garlic soft.

2.    Using a blender, puree the beans until very smooth and thick. Return to the saucepan, stir in a bit of salt, and keep warm over low heat.

3.    Rub a skillet with extra virgin olive oil. Add the tortillas, one at a time, and heat a few minutes on each side. You just want to warm the tortillas, you don't want them to toast or become stiff.

4.    Using tongs immediately transfer the tortilla to the black bean sauce and turn on both sides to coat.

5.    Fold the tortillas into thirds or quarters and place in a serving dish or plate.

6.    Continue heating, dipping, and folding the tortillas and placing them on plates, arranging 3 tortillas per plate.

7.    Pour the remaining bean sauce over the tortillas on the plates. Sprinkle each with cheese and cilantro, and cream if desired. Serve immediately.

Optional: You can fill the enfrijoladas with shredded chicken and use it as an entrée for dinner or you can serve them together with scrambled or fried eggs for breakfast.

Source:  Desert Candy http://desertcandy.blogspot.com