Effect of leavening acids on wheat flour tortillas

Abstract

Reactivities of four leavening adds were evaluated during processing of wheat flour tortillas. These were: sodium aluminum phosphate (SAlP), sodium aluminum sulfate (SAS), monocalcium phosphate (MCP) and sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP-28). Each leavening acid was first evaluated in combination with sodium bicarbonate at different levels, controlling dough temperature at 38'C. Individual leavening acids did not yield optimum dough properties and had pH higher than 6.0, except for MCP treatments. Higher amounts of MCP and SAPP-28 were required to produce opaque tortillas compared to those treatments containing SAIP and SAS. Ionic interactions apparently affected elastic and viscous behaviours of doughs. The second study inculded fumaric acid along with each leavening acid at 380C. Fumaric acid effectively reduced resting times and pH of tortillas, except for doughs containing MCP. Addition of fumaric tortillas over time. To evaluate the effect of temperature 34 and 38'C were selected . At 38'C additional leavening was required, except for doughs containing SAS. At 380C dough properties tended to improve. Increasing temperature increased pH for SAIP and MCP treatments. SAIP and SAS treatments produced opaque tortillas. Increased dough temperature improved storage stability of tortillas for SALP and SAS treatments; no significant effect was observed for MCP and SAPP-28 treatments. Combination of MCP:SAIP (1:5) produced target dough and tortilla properties. Combination of MCP:SAS (1:2) produced acceptable dough properties and tortillas with diameters smaller than 17.0 cm. MCP, a fast reacting leavening acid, improved nucleation during mixing, giving the final product a better texture. Hence, to produce tortillas with desirable characteristics, leavening acids that dissolve and react during mixing and baking are required.