Kinetic Approach to Nixtamalization of Corn Pericarp

ABSTRACT The nixtamalization of the pericarp isolated from grains of corn was studied with 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40% Ca(OH)2 based upon the mass of the pericarp. For 2 and 5% Ca(OH)2 a small loss of the mass of the pericarp takes place quickly which is accompanied by an abrupt fall of the concentration of the OH- ions. A suitable kinetic model for the decrease of the mass of the pericarp is a two phases exponential equation. The second phase is the slowest and it depends on the quantity of Ca(OH)2 employed.