Process for producing nixtamalized corn flour
AssigneeImit, A.C.
InventorsM. Cristina Vaqueiro, Pedro Reyes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Unnecessary loss of valuable fiber and unnecessary consumption of energy, as well as undue gelatinization of starch contained in the endosperm are avoided by subjecting the whole corn kernels to a selective nixtamalization process which comprises separating the hull from the kernels for forming a hull fraction and an endosperm-germ fraction, subjecting only the hull fraction to nixtamalization such as by heating in an alkaline solution and then mixing the nixtamalized hull fraction with the untreated endosperm-germ fraction. This mixture is suitable for producing a good quality corn flour suitable for producing tortillas having excellent rheological properties.
Claims13
A process for producing nixtamalized corn flour comprising the steps of:
- cleaning whole corn kernels, conditioning the cleaned kernels by incorporating moisture therein sufficient to soften the hulls and to hydrate the starch contained in the endosperm, crushing the thus conditioned kernels to form a particular corn material, classifying the particulate corn material to produce a hull fraction isolated from a fraction comprising endosperm and germ, subjecting only the said hull fraction to a nixtamalization step, draining spent nixtamalization liquor, washing the nixtamalized hull fraction, mixing said nixtamalized hull fraction with the untreated fraction comprising endosperm and germ, grinding the mixture, and drying the ground mixture to obtain a nixtamalized corn flour.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.