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Tortilla Tips: Ingredients and pH – Part 4 Tortilla Batch Pack pH Method

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Tortilla manufacturers can purchase a mixture of the micro-ingredients, commonly called a base, batch pack or pre-mix, to make flour tortillas. These dry mixtures often contain baking powder, preservatives, salt and some dough conditioners.  Each lot should be tested to confirm quality and uniformity. Specifically, the opacity of the tortillas and the ending pH resulting from the ingredients in the batch pack can change during storage. A convenient method is to substitute grams for pounds in the formula, for instance, a 200 lb flour batch transforms into 200 grams flour, 110 lb water into 110 grams water, 18 lb oil into grams of oil, etc. The dough can be mixed in a kitchen type bowl mixer and the tortillas hand pressed with a rolling pin.  An electric griddle can be used for cooking the tortillas.  This method will however, not predict the quality of the formula or how it will run on a tortilla line.  It will tell you what pH you can expect and possibly how long the tortilla will last before molding.  This method is relatively inexpensive and quite adequate as a quality control test for the pre-mixes and experimental formulas. 
By: Daniel J. Brooker

(C) 2010

Tortilla Tips: Ingredients and pH – Part 3 Corn Tortilla pH and pH Method

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The pH of corn tortillas should be checked in two places: the corn grinder (molino) and in the baked tortilla. The masa that comes out of the Molino can be checked directly with a flat surfaced electrode.  The flat surface electrode can be used for checking the pH of the masa (directly) and of the baked tortilla in water (see method below).  The acids and alkaline ingredients used in corn tortilla manufacturing typically have fast reaction rates and reach equilibrium almost immediately.  The pH of corn masa and baked corn tortilla are similar and strongly correlated. The pH of the corn tortilla is about 0.1 to 0.2 units higher than in the masa. The correlation of pH in the masa and tortilla will not be as good if the corn tortillas contain acids other than phosphoric and propionic, since the equilibrium may be slower. Checking the pH at the corn grinder is often adequate for pH control of corn tortillas.  Checking the pH of the finished tortilla is needed for a HACCP program.  
Method:
Select two standard buffers to bracket the anticipated pH of the tortillas to be tested.  For example a pH 4 buffer and a pH 7 buffer would be adequate to measure the pH of a corn tortilla at a pH of 5.2.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the pH meter available.  Flat surface electrodes are the most versatile in the tortilla factory.  It is possible to measure the pH of masa samples with these electrodes.  This is very useful when making adjustments to preservative metering systems right at the molino or mixer. 
Sample Preparation:
1.     Grind tortilla into small pieces in a coffee grinder and take 10 grams of the ground tortilla sample and add it to a clean empty plastic beaker.  Then add 90 grams or ml of distilled or deionized water.
2.     Homogenize the sample for at least one minute with the hand held homogenizer or blender.
3.     Immerse the rinsed and calibrated pH electrode into the sample and vigorously stir the electrode in the sample.
4.     Note the pH after one minute.
5.     Record this pH reading as the tortilla pH.
By: Daniel J. Brooker
(C) 2010

Tortilla Tips: Where is the sodium in my flour tortillas coming from?

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Many people associate sodium with salt. But sodium in food can also be found other forms. One of the highest forms of sodium in flour tortillas and baked goods is not salt, it is the sodium found in baking powder.

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate and usually some form of sodium acid such as sodium aluminum sulfate (SAS) or sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP). These components can add 30-35% of the sodium found in the nutritional facts on a tortilla product label. Salt is usually less, about 25%.

Formulating tortillas with sodium free or reduced sodium baking powders is a great way to significantly reduce the RDA of sodium for the average person. This is very important since tortillas are often served with other foods that are high in sodium such as meats, sauces and toppings.

By: Pat Jobe
www.clabbergirl.com

For more information about sodium free baking powder:
Mark Rice
markrice@clabbergirl.com
(630-778-6372)

Tortilla Tips: Moisture Content of Tortillas

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The amount of water in corn and flour tortillas is critical to monitor and control.  For tortillas, water content is the next most important measurement after pH.  Moisture balances are commonly used to measure moisture.  These instruments are fairly simple to use and provide quick results.  A slower more accurate method is to use a laboratory oven set at 125 Celsius and allow the tortillas to dry for at least three hours before weighing the dried samples.  Wheat flour tortillas usually have moisture contents around 30-32% wet basis.  Corn tortillas have a much wider range of moisture contents.  Table corn tortillas have moisture contents around 46-52% wet basis.  Corn tortillas for frying have moisture contents from 25-46% wet basis.  Lower moisture content is desirable for frying.  Low moisture tortillas will have less problems with greasiness, texture, frying oil life, and profitability due to lower a fat content in finished chips.
By: Daniel J. Brooker
Copyright 2010

Tortilla Tips: Corn tortilla nixtamalization process microbiological safety.

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In recent years inspectors have become increasingly concerned about traditional nixtamalization methods.  Many tortilla manufacturers across the US have had inspectors make them through away steeping corn.  During inspections many tortilla manufacturers have been unable to demonstrate the safety of the steeping process to regulators.  The inspectors concern is two fold.  First they are concerned about the safety of the nixtamalization process, which lacks time and temperature controls and relies solely on pH for microbiological pathogen control. Second, as the regulations are currently written there is an exemption for acidified foods from time temperature controls but not for alkaline foods like nixtamalized corn. Tortilla manufacturers have been able to demonstrate the safety of the nixtamalization process to inspectors with the flow chart we have prepared (contact us for a free copy).

We have offered this resource to regulatory agencies across the country for several years and have always had them agree with our analysis at the end of the day.  In particular, that the alkaline pH of the Nixtamalization process, which is typically around pH 11 to 12, does not permit the growth of pathogens (see table from the FDA’s website below).  We agree that there is a point after steeping, after the rinsing of the corn, that there is a time/temperature concern.

FDA’s Safe Practices for Food Processes: Chapter 3. Factors that Influence Microbial Growth

Table 3-5. Approximate pH values permitting the growth of selected pathogens in food.
Microorganism Minimum Optimum Maximum
Clostridium perfringens 5.5 – 5.8 7.2 8.0 – 9.0
Vibrio vulnificus 5.0 7.8 10.2
Bacillus cereus 4.9 6.0 –7.0 8.8
Campylobacter spp. 4.9 6.5 – 7.5 9.0
Shigella spp. 4.9 9.3
Vibrio parahaemolyticus 4.8 7.8 – 8.6 11.0
Clostridium botulinum toxin 4.6 8.5
Clostridium botulinum growth 4.6 8.5
Staphylococcus aureus growth 4.0 6.0 – 7.0 10.0
Staphylococcus aureus toxin 4.5 7.0 – 8.0 9.6
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli 4.4 6.0 – 7.0 9.0
Listeria monocytogenes 4.39 7.0 9.4
Salmonella spp. 4.21 7.0 – 7.5 9.5
Yersinia enterocolitica 4.2 7.2 9.6

Sources: Table 5.3 in ICMSF 1980, p 101.
1pH minimum as low as 3.8 has been reported when acidulants other than acetic acid or equivalent are used.

By: Daniel J. Brooker