Effect of nixtamalization on gluten-free whole corn, dough viscoelasticity, and the bread-making quality of leavened corn bread

Abstract

Recently, the increment in grain costs and the demand for gluten-free bread has made corn attractive for the production of leavened bread. The nixtamalization process enhances bread functionality. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of traditional nixtamalization, using Ca(OH)2, and ecological nixtamalization, using Ca salts (CaCl2, ashes, tequesquite), on corn-structured, gluten-free bread's loaf volume and quality.To our knowledge, gluten-free corn bread formation was achieved for the first time using nixtamalization. Whole corn dough with CaCl2 showed the best rheological performance. Loaf volume increased with nixtamalization in all cases compared with the non-nixtamalized control. Lower zeta potential (ζ) values, a pH of 6.04 in the dough with CaCl2 and a basic pH of 7.20 in the dough with Ca(OH)2, significantly increased α-helix and antiparallel β-sheet (1685 cm−1) bands and enhanced molecular aggregation. Loaf volume also increased compared with the doughs of the control and quasi-neutral pH treatments. The nixtamalized reduced corn confirmed typical zein bands. Whole corn bread with tequesquite showed a high overall sensory score with potential commercial applications.