Researchers from the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ) developed a tortilla made with corn and 40% chickpea, which provides more protein, reduces rapidly absorbed carbohydrates, and would have an estimated cost of 45 pesos per kilogram, with the possibility of being marketed as an alternative with higher nutritional value.
The project, developed at the UAQ School of Chemistry, seeks to improve the food quality of this staple of the Mexican diet without substantially altering its flavor or displacing corn as the main ingredient.
The research is led by Guadalupe Montserrat Pérez Guerrero, a student in the Doctoral Program in Food Sciences, with support from the Rector's Special Projects Fund (FOPER).
According to the researchers, the incorporation of chickpea makes it possible to increase the protein content of the tortillas and reduce the proportion of assimilable carbohydrates, with potential metabolic benefits for those who consume them.
The formulation with 40% chickpea obtained favorable results in the acceptance tests conducted, due to the neutral flavor of this legume, which allows corn to remain predominant.
Rosalía Reynoso Camacho, advisor to the research, explained in a statement that the economic analysis estimates a production cost of 45 pesos per kilogram, compared to other functional products available on the market whose prices exceed 60 pesos per kilo...
AI Brief
Your highlights
Researchers at the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ) developed a tortilla made with corn and 40% chickpea, which provides more protein, reduces rapidly absorbed carbohydrates, and would have an estimated cost of 45 pesos per kilogram, with the possibility of being marketed as an alternative with higher nutritional value. The project, developed at the UAQ's Faculty of Chemistry, seeks to improve the food quality of this staple of the Mexican diet without substantially altering its flavor or displacing corn as the main ingredient. The research is led by Guadalupe Montserrat Pérez Guerrero, a student in the Doctoral Program in Food Sciences, with support from the Rector's Special Projects Fund (FOPER). According to the researchers, the incorporation of chickpea makes it possible to increase the protein content of the tortillas and reduce the proportion of assimilable carbohydrates, with potential metabolic benefits for those who consume them. The formulation with 40% chickpea obtained favorable results in the acceptance tests conducted, due to the neutral flavor of this legume, which allows corn to remain predominant. Rosalía Reynoso Camacho, advisor to the research, explained in a statement that the economic analysis estimates a production cost of 45 pesos per kilogram, compared to other functional products available on the market whose prices exceed 60 pesos per half kilogram. The UAQ reported that the study also found evidence of benefits related to the reduction of cardiovascular risks, although the press release does not specify the quantitative results or the conditions under which those effects were evaluated. In addition to improving the nutritional contribution, the project seeks to recover the consumption of corn tortillas in the face of other foods that have gained a presence in the daily diet, as well as to promote demand for national agricultural products. It also noted that the developed technology is ready for transfer to the productive sector, with the aim of promoting its production and eventual commercialization. You may be interested in: Mexico faces a public debt that will continue to grow, says México Evalúa; it estimates an increase to 56.4% of GDP by 2030. Two narcolaboratories linked to "Tío Lako," a regional chief of the CJNG, dismantled in Jalisco; estimated impact of 17 million pesos monthly. With Broxel, Morena replicates the modus operandi of diverting funds, accuses Döring. Join our channel — EL UNIVERSAL is now on WhatsApp! From your mobile device, find out the day's most relevant news, opinion pieces, entertainment, trends and more.