From Tortillas to Low-carb Wraps: Capitalism and Mexican Food in Los Angeles since the 1920s

Abstract

Tortillas and products made from maize provided subsistence to early Mesoamerican civilizations, and are central to Mexican national identity, Latino/a communities, and the globalization of Mexican foods. In the U.S., tortillas represent one of the fastest growing sectors of the food industry. This study shows how the adaptive nature of capitalism leads to a refining of colonial praxis, using the tools of industrialization, nutrition science, and marketing as new methods for colonizing maize and delinking it from Mexican culture and history.