Effects of pregrinding and extrusion on quality of corn tortilla flour Efectos de la premolienda y la extrusión sobre la calidad de harina de maíz para tortillas

The effects of stone and pin milling (with and without subsequent extrusion) on quality parameters of tortilla flour were studied and quantified with the aid of a laboratory extruder. The viscoamylograms of selected flour samples were also determined. Results revealed that tortilla flour of good quality could be obtained by stone milling (with or without subsequent extrusion) but not pin milling, even with subsequent extrusion. Although the stone milled samples reflected adequate flour quality parameters, their viscoamylograms were different in many respects from that of a commercial tortilla flour sample which resembled the viscoamylogram of raw flour.