Effect of nixtamalization processes on mitigation of acrylamide formation in tortilla chips

Acrylamide can be generated from food components during tortilla chips frying. Thus, the aim of this research was to study different nixtamalization processes as traditional (TNP) with lime [Ca(OH)₂], ecological (ENP) with CaCO₃, classic nixtamalization (CNP) that uses wood ash and extrusion (EXT) with no Ca⁺² source on mitigating the acrylamide formation in deep-fat frying tortilla chips. Acrylamide quantification was done through HPLC–UV. Lower acrylamide content in tortilla chips was for CNP with 46.3 µg/kg, followed by TNP with 55.0 µg/kg, ENP with 694.6 µg/kg and EXP with 1443.4 µg/kg. Differences in acrylamide values among samples can be related to effect of cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺) present in wood ashes, lime and salts used as raw materials. Correlation of (r = 0.85; p <0.0005) was observed in color of tortilla chips, moisture, texture, blisters, and oil with acrylamide. Nixtamalization process is an effective and inexpensive strategy for acrylamide mitigation.