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Effects of Wheat Starch and Gluten on Tortilla Texture¹

¹Contribution No 99-262-J from the Kansas Agricultural Experimental Station. ²Graduate research assistant and associate professor, respectively, Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506. ³Corresponding author. E-mail: raf@wheat.ksu.edu Phone: 785-532-4064. Fax:785-532-7010.

Wheat starches were isolated from three wheat flours. Two vital wheat glutens, one from a commercial source and another one isolated from straight-grade flour, were combined with wheat starches to form reconstituted flours with a protein level of 10%. Several characteristics of tortillas made with the hot-press method were measured. No significant difference (P < 0.05) occurred in texture of tortillas made with hard wheat gluten and soft wheat gluten. Wheat starches did not have any significant (P < 0.05) effect on tortilla stretchability or foldability. Analysis of variance confirmed that wheat starch and gluten had limited effects on tortilla texture. The possible reasons were that the solubles of wheat flour were not included, and the shortening in the tortilla formula interfered with the interaction of gluten and starch.