METHOD FOR PREPARING A FLOUR TORTILLA

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a flour tortilla comprising providing a flour tortilla dough in a portion sufficient to prepare the tortilla; applying a fatty substance to at least part of the surface of the dough portion; thereafter forming the dough into a tortilla shape; and thereafter and baking the dough.

The invention further relates to a tortilla obtainable by such a method and to the use of a fatty substance to improve a property of a tortilla prepared using a fatty substance.

Claims

1-31. (canceled)

32. A method for preparing a soft, rollable, wheat flour tortilla comprising providing a wheat flour tortilla dough in a portion sufficient to prepare the tortilla; applying a fatty substance to all or at least part of the surface of the dough portion, wherein the fatty substance is a powder, granulate or crystal; thereafter forming the dough into a tortilla shape using a hot press; and thereafter baking the dough.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the tortilla has a fat content of at least 5 wt. %.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the tortilla is a full fat tortilla where the ingredient fat content is 20 wt. % or less, based on flour weight.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein the amount of fatty substance applied to said surface of the dough portion is in the range of 0.0001 g/g dough to 0.01 g/g dough.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein the amount of fatty substance applied to said surface of the dough portion is in the range of 0.0015 g/g dough to 0.004 g/g dough.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein the amount of fatty substance applied to said surface of the dough portion is in the range of 0.0025 g/g dough to 0.0035 g/g dough.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein the fatty substance is applied by contacting the dough portion with a surface provided with the fatty substance.

39. The method according to claim 32, wherein fatty substance is applied by dredging, sprinkling or scattering a fatty substance powder over the dough portion.

40. The method according to claim 32, wherein the fatty substance is applied over the dough before dividing the dough into portions sufficient for preparing the tortilla.

41. The method according to claim 32, wherein at least one fatty substance is used selected from the group of monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, waxes, paraffins, sterols, sugar esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters, fat flours, polysorbates, lecithins, succinilated monoglycerides, ethoxylated monoglycerides, emulsified shortenings, emulsifiers, such as DATEM or sodium-stearoyl-lactate (SSL), surfactants and combinations thereof.

42. The method according to claim 32, wherein the fatty substance is applied as a fatty substance on a carrier, wherein the carrier is a powder or a ground substance.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the carrier is a cereal flour or starch.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein the carrier is calcium sulphate or calcium carbonate.

45. The method according to claim 32, wherein the fatty substance is applied in combination with one or more enzymes selected from the group of amylases, xylanases, proteases, lipases and oxidases.

46. The method according to claim 32, wherein the enzyme is applied encapsulated within the fatty substance.

47. The method according to claim 32, wherein the fatty substance is applied in combination with a drying agent selected from the group consisting of hygroscopic salts and flour.

48. The method according to claim 32, wherein the fatty substance is blended with a least one component selected from the group consisting of drying agents, starches, anti-caking agents, emulsifiers, proteins or gums is applied as spray dried or spray cooled free flowing powder.

49. The method according to claim 32, wherein the fatty substance is evenly distributed over the surface of the dough.

50. The method according to claim 32, wherein the dough is made using flour having a protein content of about 7.5 to about 14 wt %.

51. The method according to claim 32, wherein the dough portion is baked for approximately 30 seconds at a temperature of about 190-230 C.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0090] Tortillas have been prepared according to the following recipe and preparation method:

TABLE-US-00001 % Ingredients Parts by weight (based on flour) Flour 1000 100 Water 540 54 Salt 15 1.5 Shortening 90/20* 9/2* Baking powder: 2403 FY 20 2 Fumaric acid 3 0.3 Sorbic acid 3 0.3 Calcium propionate 5 0.5 SSL 2.5 0.25 L-cystene 0.02 0.002 *90 parts for regular-fat tortilla; 20 parts for low-fat tortilla
Baking powder 2403 FY is a product from Fleischmann (USA) and contains: <40 wt % disodium pyrophosphate; <10 wt % calcium dihydrogen phosphate; <40 wt % sodium hydrogen carbonate.

Processing

[0091] Mixing: 2 min. slow 5 min. high speed with a McDuffy mixerDough temperature: 30 C. [0092] Dough weight: 1500 g. [0093] Resting time: 2 min. [0094] Dividing/shaping: Automatic dividing/round up in 30 dough pieces of 50 g each with a W&P Rotomat GS50 [0095] Resting time: 5 min. at room temp. on clothed plate. [0096] Lawrence Equipment semi automatic tortilla machine. [0097] Dwell time: 1,2 sec [0098] Dwell temp.: 400 F. and 415 F. bottom/top [0099] Baking temp.: between 400 F.-415 F., two top burners on [0100] Baking time ca.: ca 25 sec. [0101] Cooling: Ca. half an hour. [0102] Wrap: 10 pieces in a bag. [0103] The following examples of fatty substances have been evaluated [0104] Revel bake (fractionated, non hardened palm fat), Loders Croklaan, Netherlands [0105] Monoglyceride (Abimono 90 HPF), Abitec, UK [0106] MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil, Bergabest 60/40, Sternchemie, Germany [0107] Vana Grassa (80% fractionated palm oil, melting point 44 C.). Kievit, Netherlands [0108] Fat flour (50/50 blend of wheat flour with fat). Cereform, UK [0109] Mighty Soft (monoglyceride with high iodine number), Kerry Ingredients, UK [0110] Various (50/50) combinations of the above.

[0111] The fatty substance have been applied (about 0.004 g/g dough or less) using one the following methods:

[0112] Spraying liquid

[0113] Dredging/sprinkling/scattering powder.

[0114] Dredging powder before dividing and shaping

[0115] Sprinkling free flowing fat powder on the plates on which the dough pieces are left for a dough rest and turning the dough pieces halfway the rest period.

[0116] Each of the tested fatty substance led to an improvement in one or more properties. In particular rollability, foldability, fluffiness, shape, opacity, stack stickiness and/or whiteness (as evaluated by a test panel) were in general improved, in these experiments. Also, tortilla diameter was generally increased and stacking height was the same or increased, compared to the conventional process.

[0117] Also shelf-life was in general improved. Shelf life stability was evaluated using the rollability test during storage at 22C. Tortillas were wrapped around a dowel (1 cm diameter) and cracking and breaking was evaluated by trained personnel using a scale from 1 (broken immediately, impossible to roll) to 5 (no cracks or breakage). Tortilla shelf life was defined as the number of days the tortilla could be rolled without substantial breaking; in other words, the time at which the rollability reached a score of 3.

[0118] The following table gives an indication of the improved results (average for all experiments).

TABLE-US-00002 Shelf Stacking Stack Life Type Rollability Foldability Diameter Fluffiness Shape Opacity % height stickiness Whiteness (days) Regular 7.5 7 17-18 7 7.5 75 0.9-1.0 7.5 7 9 tortillas Low fat 6.5 6.5 16-17 5 7 60 1.0-1.2 7 6 7 tortillas Tortillas 8-8.5 8-9 19-20 7.5-8.5 7-8 75-90 0.8-0.9 8-9 7-8.5 10-12 (regular or low fat) according to invention

[0119] More specifically, the following conclusions were drawn from the experiments:

[0120] Intermediate chain fatty substances having a relatively low melting temperature or melting range showed in particular a positive effect on stack stickiness.

[0121] Monoglycerides showed in particular a positive effect on stack height.

[0122] The combination of fatty substance with a carrier (flour) showed in particular a positive effect on diameter and stickiness.

[0123] It was further concluded that for fat powders the largest effects on external quality parameters (diameter, shape, opacity, blistering, colour) and on the structural quality parameters (rollability, etc. and shelf life) was achieved when the powder was essentially homogeneously distributed over the surface.