Agriculture and Food Sciences Research

Refined wheat flours commercially milled from the same red winter wheat under 10 different commercial conditions were tested for quality with a Mixolab and then processed into tortillas using the hot-press forming procedure. Tortilla making qualities of the flour samples were evaluated during dough handling, hot-pressing, baking, and the first five days on the shelf at room temperature. The most dominating Mixolab variables that were correlated with flour tortilla performance and textural shelf stability were C3 related to starch gelatinization (1.93-2.18), C4 related to amylase activity (1.46-1.78) and C5 related to starch retrogradation (2.82-3.41). These mixolab parameters influenced tortilla texture after one day storage whereas parameters C3 and C4 influenced tortillas stored for two and five days. Hot-press tortillas produced from 03 flour, which had the highest C3, C4 and C5 values, had the worst textural shelf-life (Force 12.41 N) and rollability. On the other hand, tortillas produced from 07 flour, that had the lowest C3, C4 and C5 values, exhibited the best textural shelf life (Force 6.73 N). Mixolab parameters C3, C4 and C5 proved to be useful in predicting the quality of wheat flours intended for hot-press tortilla production.