Nixtamalization

Basics

• A processing method for Maize which makes it more digestable / useful as food for humans
• The maize is washed, soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, washed, and then hulled
• Also refered to as Hominy if served "as is"
• Nixtamalized maize has several benefits over unprocessed grain, mainly:
  • It is more easily ground
  • It's nutritional value is increased
  • Taste is modified
  • Mycotoxins (if present) are reduced
  • Lime and ash are highly alkaline: the alkalinity helps the dissolution of Hemicellulose, the major glue-like component of the maize cell walls, and loosens the hulls from the kernels and softens the maize
  • Hemicellulose-bound niacin is converted to free niacin (a form of vitamin B3), making it available for absorption into the body, thus helping to prevent pellagra
  • Some of the Corn Oil is broken down into emulsifying agents (monoglycerides and diglycerides), while bonding of the maize proteins to each other is also facilitated
• The calcium in lime acts as a cross-linking agent for protein and polysaccharide acidic side chains, thus while Cornmeal made from untreated ground maize is unable by itself to form a dough on addition of water, the chemical changes in Masa Flour allow dough formation

Internal Links

• Hominy
• Masa Flour

External Links

• The Wikipedia Page on Nixtamalization
• The Wikipedia Page on Hominy, a Food Consisting Largely of "As Is" Nixtamalized Maize
• An Article by "Cooks Illustrated" Titled "Transforming Corn: The Science of Nixtamalization"