Managing ingredients in wheat tortillas
An improved understanding of the functionality of raw ingredients in the final product will enable manufacturers to specify raw ingredients more accurately for particular applications. There is an increasingly wide range of cereal based products for which the ingredient specifications are not fully understood; this project is looking at their importance.
Wheat tortillas have recently been under the spotlight. Desirable characteristics are long shelf life (maintain flexibility for 2 weeks), opacity, puffiness and appearance (coloration/toast spots). The effect of varying the amount and type of starch and protein in a tortilla product on processing and final product quality was tested. The main findings were:
- Addition of pure starch affected dough rheology and altered tortilla performance.
- The effect of partial substitution of gluten with potato proteins varied with starch type.
- Potato protein had some functionality in dough and seemed to improve tortilla appearance.
- Reduction in tortilla firmness during shelf life might be possible with potato starch.
Improved awareness of ingredient functionality would inform appropriate
tests to determine key functional properties pre-production and also
management strategies for dealing with raw ingredients that do not meet
the specification by modifying the ingredient and/or the process.
View project website
Contact: Gemma Chope
+44(0)1386 842241
gemma.chope@campdenbri.co.uk