#Nixtamalization

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Nixtamalization (/ˌnɪʃtəməlɪˈzeɪʃən, ˌnɪks-/ nish-tə-mə-lih-ZAY-shən) is a process for the preparation of maize (corn), or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater (but sometimes aqueous alkali metal carbonates),washed, and then hulled. The term can also refer to the removal via an alkali process of the pericarp from other grains such as sorghum.

"#NixtamalizedCorn has several benefits over unprocessed grain: It is more easily ground, its nutritional value is increased, flavor and aroma are improved, and mycotoxins are reduced by up to 97–100% (for aflatoxins).

"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. The tryptophan in corn proteins is made more available for human absorption, thus helping to prevent niacin deficiency (pellagra).  Tryptophan is the metabolic precursor of endogenous niacin (Vitamin B3).

"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 divalent calcium in lime acts as a cross-linking agent for protein and polysaccharide acidic side chains.

"While cornmeal made from untreated ground maize is unable by itself to form a dough on addition of water, nixtamalized cornmeal will form a dough, called #masa. These benefits make nixtamalization a crucial preliminary step for further processing of maize into food products, and the process is employed using both traditional and industrial methods in the production of #tortillas and #TortillaChips (but not corn chips), #tamales, #hominy, and many other foodstuffs.

Etymology

"In the #Aztec language Nahuatl, the word for the product of this procedure is #nixtamalli or #nextamalli (pronounced [niʃtaˈmalːi] or [neʃtaˈmalːi]), which in turn has yielded Mexican Spanish #nixtamal ([nistaˈmal]). The Nahuatl word is a compound of nextli "lime ashes" and tamalli "unformed/cooked corn dough, tamal". The term #nixtamalization can also be used to describe the removal of the pericarp from any grain by an #alkali process, including maize, #sorghum, and others. When the unaltered Spanish spelling nixtamalización is used in written English, however, it almost exclusively refers to maize.

"The labels on packages of commercially sold tortillas prepared with nixtamalized maize usually list corn treated with #lime as an ingredient in English, while the Spanish versions list maíz nixtamalizado.

Impact on health

"The primary nutritional benefits of nixtamalization arise from the alkaline processing involved. The processing renders the protein more digestible, allowing tryptophan to be absorbed by humans. Humans can convert tryptophan into niacin, thus helping to prevent pellagra. Other measures of protein quality are also improved.  It was originally thought that the anti-pellagra action stems from increased availability of niacin (compared to a hemicellulose-bound form called "niacytin"), but multiple experiments have disproven this theory.

"Secondary benefits can arise from the grain's absorption of minerals from the alkali used or from the vessels used in preparation. These effects can increase #calcium (by 750%, with 85% available for absorption), iron, copper, and zinc.[4]

"Nixtamalization significantly deactivates #mycotoxins which are putative carcinogens. #Aflatoxins are reduced by 90–94%. Fumonisins are reduced by 82%."

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization

#SolarPunkSunday #NativeAmericanFoods #NativeAmericanHistory #Corn #BlueCorn #MesoAmerica #TraditionalFoods #CulinaryAsh #CalciumCarbonate #History #FoodHistory #Corn #PlantAshes

Late last year, a concerning research paper addressed the presence of MANY types of mycotoxins found in and on meat (fungal toxins).

More and more people are avoiding the hazards of eating animals products, so the animal exploitation industry wanted to hit back via big scary headlines it could fund and recycle.

Cue current disproportionate coverage parroting that manufactured plant-based meals were recently found to have mycotoxins in them. Read past the headlines and the journalist, if responsible and not mere A.I. will give the real context: Levels were found to be BELOW THE EU SAFETY THRESHOLD.

It is simply an animal exploitation industry tactic to scare people away from kinder eating, to ensure continuation of grotesque profits in their greasy palms.

To promote balanced critical thinking about presence of mycotoxins across ALL foods, one needs more context, so here is the paper I mentioned. There are many, actually.

I will leave you to weigh up the risk percentages yourself, but to be blunt, plant foods:
- are not corpses which had assholes oozing e-coli, salmonella etc.
-Plants can't contain imperceptible diseased cancer tumours now and then, which industry failed to remove etc:

'Mycotoxins in meat products' (2025)
Via
ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174025001111

#meat #mycotoxins #health #plantbased #science #vegan #diet #wellbeing #news #nz #aus #UK #usa

🌾 Study reveals fewer mold toxins in organically grown grain, compared to grain grown conventionally

https://phys.org/news/2024-05-reveals-mold-toxins-grown-grain.html

#food #organic #mold #mycotoxins #grain #agriculture

Fungal #mycotoxins & #MECFS could this be why you're tired?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mssp0DQef_Q