Managing ingredients in wheat tortillas From March 2015 newsletter

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:



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


Contact an expert