Effect of soybean bagasse addition on texture, sensory properties, and protein quality of maize tortillas

Abstract

AbstractBackground and objectivesNixtamalized dry masa flour was supplemented with 5% or 10% dry soybean bagasse (SB) and then processed into table tortillas. Proximate chemical composition, dietary fiber content, affective sensory analyses of corn tortillas prepared from dry masa flour enriched with 5% or 10% dried SB were determined. Also, the in vitro protein digestibility and protein digestibility‐corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of the tortillas were evaluated.FindingsTen per cent SB addition reduced masa hardness by about 32% and chewiness 47% without affecting adhesiveness. In terms of rapid viscosity analysis, the addition of incremental levels of SB decreased peak and final viscosities 42% and 49%, respectively. The tortilla insoluble and soluble dietary fiber contents increased 50% and fourfold, respectively, while the lysine daily requirement for preschool infants improved from 45.6% to 67.0% when 10% SB was used. Enriched tortillas showed a similar overall acceptance and had improved texture over storage time at room temperature (25% less force to rupture compared with the control tortilla stored for the same time).ConclusionsThe addition of 5% soybean bagasse to nixtamalized corn flour produced masa with good machinability and tortillas with better overall acceptance and textural shelf life and a product with four times more soluble dietary fiber, 10% less starch and with higher amounts of limiting amino acids lysine and tryptophan. The upgraded amino acid balance significantly improved PDCAAS from 41% to 59% in the tortilla containing 10% SB.Significance and noveltySoybean bagasse is a viable option to increased fiber and protein quality in nixtamalized corn flour tortillas, with a positive impact on texture during shelf life and consumer acceptance.