David Santiago-Ramos

Summary: The impact of addition of palmitic acid (PA) on the amylose‐lipid complexes formation and their influence on amylopectin retrogradation were studied. Tortillas prepared with 0.0%, 1.0% and 1.5% (w/w) of PA were stored for 0, 7, and 14 days at 4 °C. Tortillas with 1.0% and 1.5% of PA were softer than tortillas without PA during storage time; this change can be associated with reduction in starch retrogradation. Texture evaluation suggests that retrogradation reduction, influences directly tortilla texture (r = 0.82; P < 0.007). Thermal analysis revealed that tortillas had three endotherms corresponding to melting of (i) retrograded amylopectin, (ii) type I amylose‐lipid complexes and (iii) type II amylose‐lipid complexes. Addition of palmitic acid to masa during tortilla‐making process may be an alternative strategy to reduce starch retrogradation and tortilla staling.

Blue corn is an anthocyanin-rich material that can be used in the preparation of baking products. The aim of this work was to evaluate the physicochemical, nutraceutical, and sensory properties of polvorones (a traditional flour-based confectionery) made with whole blue-corn flour. All samples showed similar bromatological composition, but polvorones from whole blue-corn flour had a higher phenolics (837.1 mg gallic acid/kg) and anthocyanins (373.0 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/kg) content, which exerted an influence on their higher antioxidant activity compared with wheat flour-based laboratory and commercial samples. The transformation of raw blue-corn flour into polvorones produced the degradation of some acylated anthocyanins into non-acylated forms. The substitution of wheat flour with whole blue-corn flour enhanced overall acceptability, as well as the color and flavor of polvorones. Our findings demonstrated that it is possible to use whole blue corn in the formulation of polvorones with more health beneficial properties and better consumer acceptability than refined wheat products.

Tamales were prepared with 3 nixtamalization processes (traditional, ecological, and classic) and evaluated for chemical composition, starch properties, and glycemic index. Resistant starch (RS) in tamales increased 1.6 to 3.7 times compared to raw maize. This increment was due to the starch retrogradation (RS3) and amylose–lipid complexes (RS5) formation. Tamales elaborated with classic and ecological nixtamalization processes exhibited the highest total, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber content, and the highest RS content and lower in vivo glycemic index compared to tamales elaborated with traditional nixtamalization process. Thermal properties of tamales showed 3 endotherms: amylopectin retrogradation (42.7 to 66.6 °C), melting of amylose lipid complex type I (78.8 to 105.4), and melting of amylose–lipid complex type II (110.7 to 129.7). Raw maize exhibited X‐ray diffraction pattern type A, after nixtamalization and cooking of tamales it changed to V‐type polymorph structure, due to amylose–lipid complexes formation. Tamales from ecological nixtamalization processes could represent potential health benefits associated with the reduction on blood glucose response after consumption.