Resumo

VAZQUEZ CARRILLO, María Gricelda et al. Sensory evaluation of freshly made and packed maize tortillas. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2011, vol.2, n.1, pp.161-167. ISSN 2007-0934.

The maize (Zea mays L.) tortilla is the most important food for Mexicans. Several types are currently in the market, although freshly made tortillas are still what consumers prefer. The aims of this investigation were to describe the sensory attributes of freshly made and packed maize tortillas using a quantitative descriptive analysis. In the sensory evaluation lab in the Chapingo Autonomous University five trained judges, using a quantitative descriptive analysis, evaluated tortillas freshly with a combination of nixtamal dough and nixtamalized flour; nixtamalized maize flour tortillas; Mexican packaged tortillas and packed tortillas from the United States of America. The attributes of the freshly made tortillas were: smell of nixtamal, astringency, no lumpiness, high pH (8.4-8.8), lower moisture level (44 and 47.5%), lower glossiness (L= 76%) and a slight yellow color (93.7 and 89.4º). Packaged tortillas had a smell of acetic acid, had no astringency, were lumpy, had a higher moisture level (48.6 and 49%), glossiness (L= 90%) and were cream-colored (95.1-94.6º). These aspects are related to an acidic pH (5.3-5.8). The attributes identifed in the freshly made tortillas are inherent to this food, whereas packaged tortillas displayed different sensory attributes to the traditional tortillas.

Palavras-chave : color; moisture; pH; smell of acetic acid; smell of nixtamal.

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