Moderate protein content has been reported as flour characteristic for hot press tortilla. However, it has been also reported that protein content relates to the keeping of tortilla textural qualities. In order to evaluate wheat varieties cultivated in Mexico on their capacity of producing good quality tortillas and to know the effect of flour protein content and gluten strength, two experiments were performed. In the first one, tortillas were prepared from flours of two wheat varieties (Rayon and Salamanca) of strong and weak gluten, with three different protein contents each (ranging from 10.5 to 13.6%). For the second experiment tortillas were prepared from flours of 6 different varieties (Rayon, Batequis, Maviri, Oasis, Ocoroni and Eneida) of strong gluten with a shorter range of protein contents (11.82 to 13.1%). Flour tortillas were produced in a commercial plant with the hot press procedure, and baked in a three tier oven. Most of the Mexican varieties had a moderate protein content, produced doughs with low alveograph tenacity (P) and good extensibility (low alveograph P/L). Positive and significant correlation was found between rollability after three days of storage and flour protein and dry gluten contents as well as with dough strengthindices as farinograph dough development time, alveograph dough strength (W) and flour sedimentation volume. Moisture contents of tortillas produced from flours with weak gluten were significantly lower than those of tortillas prepared from flours of strong gluten which was reflected in a faster loss of tortilla rollability.
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