Tortilla and method of manufacture
AssigneeThe Pillsbury Company
InventorsLeslie L. Skarra, Katy Ghiasi, James R. Evans, Ernst Graf
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Abstract
An improved tortilla is provided which has increased shelf life while maintaining improved flexibility over the shelf life. The tortilla is comprised of flour, water and other plasticizing agents to provide a low moisture content product still having a high liquid content. The tortilla is cooked to completely gelatinize the starch in the interior of the tortilla. The tortilla is cooled, packaged and stored having about a ninety (90) day shelf life while maintaining sufficient flexibility to prevent appreciable cracking when folded for use.
Claims34
A long shelf life, flexible and crack resistance packaged and starch based cooked dough food item, said food item comprising:
- (a) flour which contains starch, said flour being present in an amount wherein said starch is present in an amount of at least about 25% by weight of cooked food item, with at least a majority of the starch being gelatinized as measured by loss of birefringence;
- (b) plasticizer in the range of between about 25% and about 55% by weight of said cooked food item, said plasticizer including water which is present in an amount such that said cooked food item contains less than about 25% total water by weight of said cooked food item and has a water holding capacity above about 1.5;
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- (c) whereby said cooked food item is flexible directly from the package after reaching room temperature, without heating.
A method of making a long shelf life, flexible and crack resistant starch based cooked dough food item, said method comprising:
- (a) forming a dough from plasticizer and flour containing starch;
- (b) forming said dough into a shaped food item;
- (c) cooking said food item until at least about 50% of the starch contained in said flour is gelatinized as measured by loss of birefringence thereby forming a cooked food item, said cooked food item having a total water content of less than about 25% by weight of said cooked food item and a water holding capacity above about 1.5;
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- (d) packaging said cooked food item for storage and whereby said cooked food item is flexible directly from the package after reaching room temperature, without heating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.