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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Grain Quality and Structure Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #284086
Title: Generation of a mixolab profile after the evaluation of the functionality of different commercial wheat flours for hot-press tortilla production

Author
item POSNER, ELIESER - Bar-Ilan University
item CHEW-GUEVARA, ANA - Department Of Biotecnologia - Mexico
item MITRE-DIESTE, MARCELO - University Of Mexico
item PEREZ-CARRILLO, ESTHER - Department Of Biotecnologia - Mexico
item HEREDIA-OLEA, ERICK - Department Of Biotecnologia - Mexico
item Wilson, Jeff
item SALDIVAR-SERNA, SERGIO - Department Of Biotecnologia - Mexico

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2013
Publication Date: 3/31/2014
Citation: Posner, E.S., Chew-Guevara, A.A., Mitre-Dieste, M., Perez-Carrillo, E., Heredia-Olea, E., Wilson, J.D. and Saldivar-Serna, S.O. 2014. Generation of a mixolab profile after the evaluation of the functionality of different commercial wheat flours for hot-press tortilla production. Cereal Chemistry. 91(2):139-145.

Interpretive Summary: The conventional dry wheat milling process starts with the gradual scraping of the endosperm in the mill break stages, followed by various mechanical means of separating the bran from the endosperm and the final steps of reducing the endosperm particles with degrees of cleanliness. Mills vary in their milling equipment and, flow-sheet diagrams that accordingly affect differently the major components of the flour: starch and gluten. Through the handling and processing steps in the mill, these major constituents responsible for flour quality could be altered physically and chemically to some extent. Five commercial mills in Mexico were used to identify the most critical milling variables related to flour performance for hot-press tortilla quality and shelf life. The most dominating variables that affected flour performance were wet gluten content, gluten strength, water absorption, stability of flour during mixing, starch damage and flour particle size. This work provides useful milling parameter information in the production of wheat flour for one of the fastest growing markets, tortillas.

Technical Abstract: Five commercial flours intended for tortilla production were tested for quality and related to the mills’ technical specifications and adjustments. Qualities of the flours were evaluated during dough handling, baking, and the first 5 days on the shelf at room temperature. The Mixolab was used to generate a preliminary profile for hot-press tortillas from the best performing flours. Results were affected by variation in wheat quality, and the design of the milling systems. The most dominating variables that affected the flour performance were wet gluten content, alveograph W and P/L parameters, farinograph water absorption and stability, starch damage and flour particle size.