5690 Lindbergh Lane • Bell, CA • 90201 Phone: 562-806-7560 • www.solvaira.com

“Pointers,Indicators,andMeasuresofTortillaQuality”

TomJondiko,Ph.D.

Consumersperspective:• Thedefinitionofagoodqualitytortillaencompassestheabilitytoretainitsflexibility,remainstrongsothereisnocrackingortearing,andofcourse,tastegood.(Waniska etal2004,Jondikoetal2016).

TortillaProducersperspective:• Qualityincludesuniformshapes,toastmarks,soft,fluffy,adequateshelflifefordistributionandsales.

Overallperspective:• Quality=Qualityrawmaterial+Qualityprocessing+

Qualityofpersonnel.

Tortilla Quality

Tortilla Formula Composition

60.0%

29.0%

6.0% 5.0%

Flour Water Shortening Batch Pack

Batch Pack:Salt, Sugar, LeaveningDough Conditioners & Preservatives

Tortillas must meet consumer expectations.• Physical parameters (Soft, pliable).• Good diameter, uniform, toast marks and long shelf life.

Defining Quality

• Goodqualitytortillasproducedusingwheatflourofintermediateproteinandlowlevelofstarchdamage(Waniska etal2004).

Starchcharacteristics:– Measuredusingrapidvisco analyzer.– Peakandfinalviscosity.– Affectcookingconditions.– Tortillaflexibility.– Tortillashelfstability.

Flour: Starch Quality

• Evaluate quality of new flour compare to standard.• Starch is gelatinized causes rise in viscosity.• Tortillas start sticking on each other.

New Flour Starch Quality

High Protein

All purpose 

New Flour 1

New Flour 2

Pastry Flour

James Chapa 2016, Solvaira R&D

ProteinContent• Goodqualitycanbeproducedusingwheatflourofintermediateproteincontent(Waniska etal2004).

Proteincontentisnotanadequateindicatoroftortillaquality• Proteincontentcannotsimultaneouslypredictbothdiameterandrollability

• Lookatproteinfractions?

Protein Quality vs Quality

10 15 20 25

LU

0.80.91.01.11.21.31.4

10 15 20 25

LU

1.01.251.51.752.02.252.5

Elution time (min)

Abs

orba

nce

at 2

10 n

m

Flour protein fraction and tortilla quality

Parameter RangeGlutenin: Gliadin Ratio 0.5 – 0.9Mono & Polymeric proteins 12 – 65HMW & LMW – GS 0.3 -0.6

• Wheat protein fractions in gluten play a significant role in tortilla making (Jondiko et al. 2012)

• Variation of flour protein molecules can improve tortilla quality.

• Tortilla diameter can be predicted using a protein molecule content and dough rheological properties

• Tortilla softness depends on the ratio of the gluten protein molecules

Relationship of tortilla diameter, flexibility & flour protein

Total Protein content and Functionality

Good Flexibility Small diameter

Acceptable Diameter  Flexibility

Not Acceptable:Falling apart and sticking

Not Acceptable:Very week, sticky 

dough, brittle tortillas

Gluten Acid TestCorrelationBetweenProteinContentandViscosityat3minutesMeasuredintheWheatGlutenAcidTests

High Protein Flour

All Purpose Flour 1All Purpose 

Flour 2

Pastry Flour

New High Protein Flour Samples 

y = 0.0028x + 7.9225R² = 0.9948

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

250 450 650 850 1050 1250 1450 1650 1850 2050

Protein Co

nten

t (%)

Viscosity (cP)

James Chapa 2016, Solvaira R&D

• New High protein flour 13% total protein has only 11% functional protein• Can result in tortilla quality defects• Evaluate the functionality of new flour when received 

Gluten Quality: Viscosity & Temperature

Qualityvariation: Higherviscositymeanshigherglutenquality TortillaSticking Oventemperatureadjustment

High Protein Flour

All Purpose  Flour

Pastry Flour

New Protein Flour

James Chapa 2016, Solvaira R&D

Functional Protein Content & Flexibility

Intermediate Functional Protein Content

(10.5 % – 12.0%)

Low Functional Protein Content

(8.0 – 10.5% )

Predicting Flour Functionality for Tortillas

F_25Area

1) Prediction value > or = 0: Suitable flour for quality tortilla2) Prediction value < = 0: Unsuitable for good tortilla

Good Rollability and Diameter = -10.15 – 0.19*Weight + 10.58Glu:GliRatio – 0.05*IPP –0.22*Area + 1.4*F_25 + 0.36*F_100 + 0.02*CompForce;

• Thesecondlargestcomponentoftortillas.

• Optimumtortillamoisturecontent:29– 32%affects:– TortillaTexture– Shelf‐life– Excesswatercreatesteamandweakenstortillastructure

• Monitormicrobialcountsonwaterused.

• Watertemperatureofusedtomakedough.

• WaterpH:– DependingsourcewatercanbetreatedtoadjustpHhencemeasurepHregularly

– Measureconductivitytodeterminehardness

Water Quality

Animportantcomponentoftortillas• Typeused:

– liquidoil– Solidshortening

• Affecttortillatexture:– Slowstaling– Interactwithflourcomponents– starch&protein

• Improvesdoughmachinability&reducestickiness

• Providedesiredflavorintortillas

• Prevents&reducestortillastickingduringstorage

Shortening/ Fat Quality

RawMaterialQuality: TestforpH,CO2,Sodium,moisture

Microbialloads

ParticleSizedistribution

Puritytests

Baketestsforfunctionality

Stickingtest

Flexibility,&AcceleratedShelflife

Functional Ingredients

• Temperaturereductionafterbaking,duringpackaging,intransportationandinstorage.

• Monitoranddocumentparameters:– Doughmixing– Dividing&rounding– Pressingmethod– handstretch,hotpressordiecut– Oven– Cooling– Packaging

Processing and storage conditions

• pH:Idealbetween5.2– 5.8flourtortillas.

• Preservatives:SorbatesandpropionateeffectiveatlowpHwhereasParabensathighpH(QuestionsaroundsafetyofParabens).

• Microbialload:Establish&monitorCOAlimitsforallsuppliers.

Other aspects of shelf stability

Therecipetodelivergoodqualitytortillas

QualityofFlour. QualityofWater. QualityofShortening/Oil Qualityoffunctionalingredients. Qualityofpersonnel:qualification,training&continuousimprovement.

Consistentdocumentationandmonitoringofdata.

Conclusion