UTILIZATION OF WHOLE UNDEFATTED GLANDLESS COTTONSEED KERNELS AND SOYBEANS TO PROTEIN‐FORTIFY CORN TORTILLAS

Abstract

ABSTRACTTortillas have long been recognized as the ideal vehicle for fortification to upgrade the nutritional status of peoples of the South and Southwest where tortillas are widely consumed. In previous work reported by the same authors, oilseed flours were used to protein‐fortify corn flour used for the preparation of corn tortillas. In this work, we have found that tortillas can be protein‐fortified by utilizing the traditional means of preparation and incorporating blends of undefatted glandless cottonseed kernels and soybeans with corn in sufficient quantities to provide a total of 12%, 15% and 18% protein in the blends. This provided a significant protein increase from 10.5% protein in the corn control to a maximum of 18% protein in the blends on a dry basis ‐ a 42% increase in protein. Higher protein blends could not be successfully prepared with glandless cottonseed kernels because the increased oil became an objectionable factor. A dough preparation technique was developed which yielded fortified doughs that compared favorably with the corn control. In color comparisons made with a Hunter color‐difference meter, 12% protein blend tortillas were comparable in color with the corn control. As the amount of oilseed increased in the protein blend above 12%, the color of the cooked tortillas increased as well. Ammo acid profiles of the cooked tortillas indicated that there is an increase in both the quality and quantity of protein when glandless cottonseed kernels and soybeans are utilized in blends with corn for making corn tortillas. Tortillas containing the different blends were submitted to a taste panel for sensory evaluation and the scores obtained were statistically analyzed. When all protein levels of a particular oilseed were considered together, at both 1% and 5% level of significance, taste panel members expressed no difference in overall satisfaction from the corn as compared to cottonseed‐fortified tortillas. Furthermore both the control and cottonseed‐fortified tortillas were preferred to soy or blend‐fortified tortillas.