Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Functional and Beneficial Properties of Corn Tortilla

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Functional Properties of Traditional Foods

Part of the book series: Integrating Food Science and Engineering Knowledge Into the Food Chain ((ISEKI-Food,volume 12))

Abstract

Corn tortilla is the main staple produced from nixtamalised corn. Nixtamalisation is an ancient process developed by the Mesoamerican cultures. Tortilla was considered a high caloric food due to the high starch content. However, some years ago, it was discovered that the starch present in different foods is not completely digested, and consequently the glucose supply to blood decreases. Additionally, corn has an important amount of non-starch polysaccharides, those present in the dietary fibre, increasing the beneficial effect of tortilla consumption.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agama-Acevedo E, Rendón-Villalobos R, Tovar J et al (2004) In vitro starch digestibility changes during storage of maize flour tortillas. Nahrung 48(1):38–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Agama-Acevedo E, Rendón-Villalobos R, Tovar J et al (2005) Effect of storage time on in vitro digestion rate and resistant starch content of tortillas elaborated from commercial corn masas. Arch Latinoam Nutr 55:86–92

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aguirre-Cruz A, Méndez-Montealvo G, Solorza-Feria J et al (2005) Effect of carboxymethylcellulose and xanthan gum on the thermal, functional and rheological properties of dried nixtamalised maize masa. Carbohydr Polym 62(3):222–231

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Almeida-Dominguez HD, Cepeda M, Rooney L (1996) Properties of commercial nixtamalized corn flour. Cereal Food World 41:624–630

    Google Scholar 

  • Asp NG, Van Amelsvoort JMM, Hautvas JGAJ (1996) Nutritional implications of resistant starch. Nutr Res Rev 9:1–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ayala-Rodríguez AE, Gutiérrez-Dorado R, Milán-Carrillo J et al (2009) Nixtamalized flour and tortillas from transgenic maize (Zea mays L.) expressing amarantin: technological and nutritional properties. Food Chem 114:50–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bejosano FP, Joseph S, Miranda Lopez R et al (2005) Rheological and sensory evaluation of wheat flour tortillas during storage. Cereal Chem 82(3):256–263

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bello-Pérez LA, Rendón-Villalobos R, Agama-Acevedo E et al (2006) In vitro starch digestibility of tortillas elaborated by different masa preparation procedures. Cereal Chem 83:188–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Billeb de Sinibaldi AC, Bressani R (2001) Características de cocción de once variedades de maíz. Arch Latinoam Nutr 51:86–94

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birkett A, Brown IL (2008) Resistant starch and health. In: Hamaker B (ed) Technology of functional cereal products. CRC Press, New York, pp 63–85

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Björck IM, Granfeldt Y, Liljeberg H et al (1994) Food properties affecting the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Am J Clin Nutr 59(3):699S–705S

    Google Scholar 

  • Brand JC, Colagiuri S, Crossman S et al (1991) Low-glycemic index foods improve long-term glycemic control in NIDDM. Diabetes Care 14:95–101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bravo L, Siddhuraju P, Saura-Calixto F (1998) Effect of various processing methods on the in vitro starch digestibility and resistant starch content of Indian pulses. J Agr Food Chem 46:4667–4674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bressani R, Benavides V, Acevedo E et al (1990) Changes in selected nutrient content and in protein quality of common and quality protein maize during tortilla preparation. Cereal Chem 67:515–518

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bressani R, Turcios JC, Reyes L (2001) Caracterización física y química de harinas industriales nixtamalizadas de maíz de consumo humano en América central. Arch Latinoam Nutr 51(3):309–313

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brouns F, Ketttlizt B, Arrigoni F (2002) Resistant starch and the butyrate revolution. Trends Food Sci Tech 13:251–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campas-Baypoli ON, Rosas-Burgos EC, Torres-Chávez PI et al (1999) Physicochemical changes of starch during maize tortilla production. Starch/Stärke 51:173–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carmona-García R, Osorio-Díaz P, Agama-Acevedo E et al (2007) Composition and effect of soaking on starch digestibility of Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) cv. ‘Mayocoba’. Int J Food Sci Tech 42:296–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornejo-Villegas MA, Acosta-Osorio AA, Rojas-Molina I et al (2010) Study of the physicochemical and pasting properties of instant corn flour added with calcium and fibers from nopal powder. J Food Eng 96:401–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coutiño-Estrada B, Vázquez-Carrillo G, Torres-Morales B, Salinas-Moreno Y (2008) Calidad de grano, tortillas y botanas de dos variedades de maíz de la raza comiteco. Rev Fitotec Mex 31(3):9–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Cravioto RO, Anderson RK, Lockhart EE et al (1945) Nutritive value of the Mexican tortilla. Science 102:91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Deckere EAM, Kloots WJ, Van Amelsvoort JMM (1995) Both raw and retrograded starch decrease serum triacylglycerol concentration and fat accretion in the rat. Brit J Nutr 73:287–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Englyst HN, Cummings JH (1987) Digestion of polysaccharides of potato in the small intestine of man. Am J Clin Nutr 45:423–431

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Englyst HN, Kingman SM, Cummings JH (1992) Classification and measurement of nutritionally important starch fractions. Eur J Clin Nutr 46:S33–S50

    Google Scholar 

  • Englyst HN, Veenstra J, Hudson GJ (1996) Measurement of rapidly available glucose (RAG) in plant foods: a potential in vitro predictor of the glycaemic response. Brit J Nutr 75(3):327–337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Englyst KN, Englyst HN, Hudson GJ et al (1999) Rapidly available glucose in foods: an in vitro measurement that reflects the glycemic response. Am J Clin Nutr 69(3):448–454

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Faisant N, Buleon A, Colonna P et al (1995a) Digestion of raw banana starch in the small intestine of healthy humans: structural features of resistant starch. Brit J Nutr 73:111–123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Faisant N, Gallant DJ, Bouchet B, Champ M (1995b) Banana starch breakdown in the human small-intestine studied by electronmicroscopy. Eur J Clin Nutr 49:98–104

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (1993) El maiz en la nutrición humana. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación

    Google Scholar 

  • Figueroa JD, González-Hernández CJ, Arámbula-Villa G, Morales-Sánchez E (1997) Tecnologías ecológicas para la producción de tortilla. Avance y Perspectiva 16:363–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Figueroa-Cárdenas JD (2004) Fortificación de la tortilla. http://www.maiztortilla.com/es/proyectos/fortificacion/intro.htm

  • Figueroa-Cárdenas JD, Acero-Godines MG, Vasco-Méndez NL et al (2001) Fortificación y evaluación de tortillas de nixtamal. Arch Latinoam Nutr 51(3):293–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Gómez MH, Waniska RD, Rooney LW (1991) Starch characterization of nixtamalized corn flour. Cereal Chem 68:578–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Goñi I, García-Diz L, Mañas E, Saura-Calixto F (1996) Analysis of resistant starch: a method for foods products. Food Chem 56:445–449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goñi I, García D, Saura-Calixto FA (1997) Starch hydrolysis procedure to estimate glycemic index. Nutr Res 17:427–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Granfeldt Y, Björck I, Drews A, Tovar J (1992) An in-vitro procedure based on chewing to predict metabolic response to starch in cereal and legume products. Eur J Clin Nutr 46:649–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasjim J, Lee SO, Hendrich S, Setiawan S, Ai Y, Jane JL (2010) Characterization of a novel resistant-starch and its effects on postprandial plasma-glucose and insulin response. Cereal Chem 87:257–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendrich S (2010) Battling obesity with resistant starch. Food Tech 64:22–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Uribe JP, Agama-Acevedo E, Islas-Hernández JJ et al (2007) Chemical composition and in vitro starch digestibility of pigmented corn tortilla. J Sci Food Agri 87:2482–2487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Uribe JP, Ramos-López G, Yee-Madeira H et al (2010) Physicochemical, rheological and structural characteristics of starch in maize tortillas. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 65:152–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holm J, Bjorck I, Drews A et al (1986) A rapid method for the analysis of starch. Starch/Starke 38:224–229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islas-Hernández JJ, Rendón-Villalobos R, Agama-Acevedo E et al (2007) Chemical composition and in vitro starch digestibility of corn tortillas with added amaranth flour. J Sci Food Agric 87(12):2348–2352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJA, Wolever TMS, Collier GR et al (1987) Metabolic effects of a low-glycemic-index diet. Am J Cli Nutr 46:968–975

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martínez-Flores HE, Martínez-Bustos F, Figueroa JDC et al (2002) Studies and biological assays in corn tortillas made from fresh masa prepared by extrusion and nixtamalization processes. J Food Sci 67(3):1196–1199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maya-Cortes DC, Figueroa-Cárdenas JD, Garnica-Romo MG et al (2010) Whole-grain corn tortilla prepared using an ecological nixtamalisation process and its impact on the nutritional value. Int J Food Sci Tech 45(1):23–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Méndez-Montealvo MG, Trejo-Espino G, Paredes-López O et al (2007) Physicochemical and morphological characteristics of nixtamalized maize starch. Starch/Starke 59:277–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noah L, Guillon F, Bouchet B et al (1998) Digestion of carbohydrate from white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in healthy humans. J Nutr 128:977–985

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Dea K, Snow P, Nestel P (1981) Rate of starch hydrolysis in vitro as a predictor of metabolic responses to complex carbohydrate in vivo. American J Clin Nutr 34(10):1991–1993

    Google Scholar 

  • Osorio-Díaz P, Agama-Acevedo E, Bello-Pérez LA et al (2011) Effect of endosperm type on texture and in vitro starch digestibility of maize tortillas. LWT Food Sci Tech 44(3):611–615

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paredes-López O, Serna-Saldívar S, Guzmán-Maldonado S (2000) Los alimentos mágicos de las culturas indígenas de México: El caso de la tortilla. El Colegio de Sinaloa, Culiacán

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranhotra GS (1985) Nutritional profile of corn and flour tortillas. Cereal Foods World 30:703–704

    Google Scholar 

  • Rendón-Villalobos R, Bello-Pérez LA, Osorio-Díaz P et al (2002) Effect of storage time on in vitro digestibility and resistant starch content of nixtamal, masa, and tortilla. Cereal Chem 79:340–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rendón-Villalobos R, Agama-Acevedo E, Islas-Hernández JJ, Sánchez-Muñoz J et al (2006) In vitro starch bioavailability of corn tortillas with hydrocolloids. Food Chem 97:631–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rendón-Villalobos R, Agama-Acevedo E, Osorio-Diaz P et al (2009a) Proximal composition and in vitro starch digestibility in flaxseed-added corn tortilla. J Sci Food Agri 89:537–541

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rendón-Villalobos R, Bello-Pérez LA, Agama-Acevedo E et al (2009b) Composition and characteristics of oil extracted from flaxseed-added corn tortilla. Food Chem 117:83–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Román-Brito JA, Agama-Acevedo E, Méndez-Montealvo MG et al (2007) Textural studies of stored corn tortillas with added xanthan Gum. Cereal Chem 84(5):502–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saldana G, Brown HE (1984) Nutritional composition of corn and flour tortillas. J Food Sci 49:1202–1203.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saura-Calixto F, Goñi I, Bravo L, Mañas E (1993) Resistant starch in foods: modified method for dietary fiber residues. J Food Sci 58:642–645

    Google Scholar 

  • Sáyago-Ayerdi SG, Tovar J, Osorio-Díaz P et al (2005) In vitro starch digestibility and predicted glycemic index of corn tortilla, blank beans and tortilla-bean mixture: effect of cold storage. J Agri Food Chem 53:1281–1285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz AGM, Van Amelsvoort JMM, Beynen AC (1993) Dietary native resistant starch but not retrograded resistant starch raises magnesium and calcium-absorption in rats. J Nutr 123:1724–1731

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serna-Saldívar SO, Rooney LW (1994) Quality protein maize processing and perspectives for industrial utilization. In: Larkins BA, Mertz ET (eds) Quality protein maize: proceedings of the International symposium on quality protein maize. EMBRAPA/CNPMS, Sete Lagoas, pp 89–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Serna-Saldívar SO, Gómez MH, Rooney LW (1990) Technology, chemistry and nutritional value of alkaline-cooked corn products. In: Pomeranz Y (ed) Advances in cereal science and technology. AACC International, St. Paul, p 243

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp R, Macfarlane GT (2000) Chemostat enrichments of human faeces with resistant starch are selective for adherent butyrate-producing clostridia at high dilution rates. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:4212–4221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Snow P, O’Dea K (1981) Factors affecting the rate of hydrolysis of starch in food. Am J Clin Nutr 34:2721–2727

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suhendro EL, Almeida-Dominguez HD, Rooney LW et al (1998) Objective rollability method for corn tortilla texture measurement. Cereal Chem 75(3):320–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suhendro EL, Almeida-Dominguez HD, Rooney LW (1999) Use of extensibility to measure corn tortilla texture. Cereal Chem 76(4):536–540

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Topping D, Clifton PM (2001) Short-chain fatty acids and human colonic function: roles of resistant starch and Nonstarch polysaccharides. Physiol Rev 81(3):1032–1064

    Google Scholar 

  • Topping DL, Fukushima M, Bird AR (2003) Resistant starch as a prebiotic and synbiotic: state of the art. Proc Nutr Soc 62:171–176

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tovar J, Björck IM, Asp NG (1992) Incomplete digestion of legume starches in rats—a study of precooked flours containing retrograded and physically inaccessible starch fractions. J Nutr 122:1500–1507

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf BW, Bauer LL, Fahey GC Jr (1999) Effects of chemical modification on in vitro rate and extent of food starch digestion: an attempt to discover a slowly digested starch. J Agri Food Chem 47:4178–4183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yau JC, Waniska RD, Rooney LW (1994) Effects of food additives on storage stability of corn tortillas. Cereal Foods World 39:396–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Younes H, Demigny C, Remesy C (1996) Acidic fermentation in the caecum increases absorption of calcium and magnesium in the large intestine of the rat. Br J Nutr 75:301–314

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the economic support from SIP-IPN, COFAA-IPN, EDI-IPN and CONACYT-Mexico. The authors are especially grateful to Amasssssndeep Kaur for the review.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CEPROBI, km. 6.5 Carr. Yautepec-Jojutla, Col. San Isidro, C.P., Yautepec, Morelos, 62731, Mexico

    Luis Arturo Bello-Perez, Perla Osorio-Díaz, Edith Agama-Acevedo & Rosalia A. Gonzalez-Soto

Authors
  1. Luis Arturo Bello-Perez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Perla Osorio-Díaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Edith Agama-Acevedo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rosalia A. Gonzalez-Soto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Arturo Bello-Perez .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Iceland, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Reykjavík, Iceland

    Kristberg Kristbergsson

  2. Izmir , Turkey, Food Engineering Department Ege Universi, Izmir, Turkey

    Semih Ötles

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bello-Perez, L.A., Osorio-Díaz, P., Agama-Acevedo, E., Gonzalez-Soto, R.A. (2016). Functional and Beneficial Properties of Corn Tortilla. In: Kristbergsson, K., Ötles, S. (eds) Functional Properties of Traditional Foods. Integrating Food Science and Engineering Knowledge Into the Food Chain, vol 12. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7662-8_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation