Fortified Maize Tortilla: from the traditional Mesoamerican diet to functional food
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18633/biotecnia.v27.2269Keywords:
ayocote, bioactive compounds, diet, health, queliteAbstract
Maize is an ancient crop whose domestication dates from six to ten thousand years ago in southwestern Mexico. It is one of the most important crops, with a global production volume of 1, 217 billion tons during the 2021 – 2022 cycle.
In Mexico, maize has economic and commercial importance, and its uses are ancestral and versatile to obtain a wide variety of products, including oil, popcorn, syrup, corn, tamales, atole, and the most recognized tortillas. Tortilla is one of the main staple foods in our diet, with a consumption of up to 75 kg/per capita per year, contributing with 38.8 and 49.1 % of protein and calcium, respectively, and 45.2 % of the dailycalorie intake. Due to its high consumption, it is an excellentvehicle for the development of innovative products by theaddition of functional ingredients that increase the nutritional
quality (for instance, mineral or vitamin deficiencies) ofour diet and confer benefits to consumer’s health, being ofparticular interest the so-called underutilised species such as ayocote beans and quelites. The review aims to explore fortifying maize products (tortillas), with underutilised ingredients to enhance nutrition, address deficiencies, promote health benefits, and agricultural diversification.
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