Chemical composition and in vitro starch digestibility of pigmented corn tortilla

BACKGROUND: Tortillas were prepared from two (blue and regular white) maize varieties and compared with regard to chemical composition and in vitro starch digestibility, i.e., available starch (AS), total (RS) and retrograde (RRS) resistant starch contents, amylolysis rate and predicted glycemic index (pGI). The impact of cold storage (4°C) on digestibility was also investigated. RESULTS: Despite its higher protein and lipid contents, pigmented tortilla exhibited lower AS content than the white product. AS in both types of tortilla decreased during the first 2 days of storage, and remained stable thereafter. Blue tortilla had lower RS content (21 g kg^-1 dry matter basis) than the white tortilla (30 g kg^-1 dry matter basis). RS values were slightly higher in 2 day-stored tortillas than in their fresh counterparts. Although the RRS content in recently made white tortillas was greater than in the colored preparation, stored blue tortillas exhibited double RRS values compared with freshly baked samples. α-Amylolysis of blue tortilla was slower than in the white sample. Consequently, blue tortilla exhibited a lower pGI value. pGI for the white tortilla decreased upon cold storage, a change that was not be observed for the colored preparation. CONCLUSION: Starch digestibility characteristics of blue tortilla make it suitable for people with special nutritional or metabolic requirements.