REDUCTION OF OIL IN TORTILLA CHIPS USING IMPINGEMENT DRYING

Tortilla pieces were prepared from nixtamalized masa flour and dried u nder impinging hot air. The effect of different drying conditions on t he drying rate, texture, shrinkage profile and microstructure was anal ysed The results indicated that drying rate was mostly affected by the air temperature. texture was crispier at higher air temperatures; shr inkage of the piece was higher at lower convective hear transfer coeff icient; and microstructure looked smoother at higher air temperature. A process to produce low-fat tortilla chips with good flavor and textu re baking, convection-oven baking, air impingement drying, and frying was suggested and validated. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.