EDN #166 Now Available
Published
2024-10-01
In this issue
- Nixtamalization
- Echoes from our Network: SIFAT Training and Inga Alley Cropping
- From ECHO's Seed Banks: Grain Amaranth
- Books, Websites, and Other Resources: Resilient Agriculture Toolkit
Nixtamalization
Robert Walle
Excerpt:
The high pH of lime and other alkaline compounds breaks down the seed hull and pericarp in grain, changing the starchy endosperm of the maize grains and helping to “pre-digest” nutrients, making them more available during digestion. Changes in the starchy endosperm make the dough, often called masa, easier to roll in making tortillas. A tortilla should be easy to fold and roll, and not split when eaten or filled.