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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Grain Quality and Structure Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #160350
Title: EFFECT OF DOUGH WEIGHT AND PRODUCTION METHOD ON WHEAT FLOUR TORTILLA QUALITY

Author
item ALVIOLA, J. NOVIE - TEXAS A&M UNIV
item ARORA, SAPNA - TEXAS A&M UNIV
item Lyne, Rhonda
item Lookhart, George
item WANISKA, RALPH - TEXAS A&M UNIV
item Chung, Okkyung

Submitted to: National Meeting of Institute of Food Technologists/Food Expo
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2004
Publication Date: 7/12/2004
Citation: Alviola, J., Arora, S., Lyne, R.K., Lookhart, G.L., Waniska, R.D., Chung, O.K. 2004. Effect of dough weight and production method on wheat flour tortilla quality. Book of Abstracts of the 2004 IFT Annual Meeting. Abstract (93-12) p. 242.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract for the Institute of Food Technologist (IFT) annual meeting.

Technical Abstract: Several labs desire to evaluate wheat flours for tortilla quality without using pilot-scale, commercial equipment and/or trained personnel. We evaluated how procedures using lab-scale equipment with two dough sizes compare to commercial tortillas prepared using pilot-scale commercial equipment. Twelve wheat flours varying in tortilla-making qualities were prepared into tortillas. Three dough-ball, pressing procedures were compared: the tortilla bake test prepared using pilot-scale, commercial equipment (Lawrence equipment) and a lab-scale method using a heated hand-press (Dough Pro 2000) with either Teflon-sheet-covered platens (80oC, 6 sec; DP-Teflon) or with use of an oil spray (74oC, 6 sec; DP-oil). Hand-pressed tortillas were baked on a griddle. A smaller dough size, 25 g instead of 42 g, was also hand-pressed using the Dough-Pro methods. The critical tortilla properties of diameter, opacity and shelf-stability were evaluated. Even though the three procedures (42 g dough) had similar average tortilla diameters and rollability scores at 12 days, the cultivars were not differentiated in the same order by rollability scores using the three procedures. Tortilla opacities were higher when prepared using the DP-oil method (86.6%) than the DP-Teflon method (83.3%) or Lawrence method (83.8%). Specific volumes were higher for Dough-Pro pressed tortillas (25 and 42 g dough) compared to Lawrence-pressed tortillas. Thinner, smaller diameter tortillas with higher rollability scores after 12 days storage were formed using smaller dough size (25g). These tortillas had opacities similar to DP-oil-pressed tortillas (42 g dough). The smaller dough size (25 g) yielded tortillas with different tortilla properties when compared to lab procedures using 42 g dough. The DP-oil or DP-Teflon method using 42 g dough procedures can be utilized when amount of flour is limited, such as early-generation variety testing.