Folate Stability in Folic Acid Enriched Corn Masa Flour, Tortillas, and Tortilla Chips over the Expected Shelf Life

Abstract

Neural tube defects occur at higher rates in Hispanic populations in the United States. Such populations would benefit from folic acid fortification of corn masa flour (CMF). This study evaluated folate stability in fortified CMFs and tortillas and tortilla chips made therefrom. There was no significant loss of folate during the six‐month shelf life of fortified tortilla CMF and tortilla chip CMF. There was a 13% loss (P < 0.05) of folate during tortilla baking and no loss during tortilla chip frying. Both tortillas and tortilla chips showed significant folate losses over the two‐month shelf life for these products, with a 17% loss in fortified tortillas and a 9% loss in tortilla chips. Folate in fortified CMFs, tortillas, and tortilla chips is relatively stable and comparable to the stability of folate in wheat flour and breads.

Influence of storage conditions and packaging of fortified wheat flour on microbial load and stability of folate and vitamin B12

“…Swindler (2013) also reported 24% loss of native folate in unfortified wheat flour after six months of storage at room temperature in sealed cans, but no significant loss of added folic acid in enriched wheat flour stored over the same time in the same conditions. Phillips et al (2017) also showed that folic acid was stable in well-packaged fortified flours: they measured the folic acid content of fortified corn masa flour stored at 22 °C and 65% RH for up to six months in kraft plastic-lined bags [ i.e . multilayer packaging made up of brown paper and plastic], and did not observe any significant differences across the six-month shelf life.…”

“…Studies carried out in the 1970s on the folic acid retention in fortified cereal-based products during storage and baking suggested that there was little loss (Berry, Bailey, Mulinare, Bower, & Dary, 2010), but the packaging and storage conditions were not always fully described. Recently, Phillips, Pike, Eggett, and Dunn (2017) did not report any significant loss of added folic acid in corn masa flour for up to six month of storage, but the flour was well-packaged and stored at 22 °C and 65% relative humidity. However, the influence of packaging on the stability of fortified flours stored in ‘tropical conditions’ ( i.e .…”

Effect of Sweet Corn Residue on Micronutrient Fortification in Baked Cakes

“…Researchers have pointed out that folate had a small amount of loss in the process of baking and storage [34,35]. Similarly, SCR lost parts of folate during cake baking.…”

Folic acid retention evaluation in preparations with wheat flour and corn submitted to different cooking methods by HPLC/DAD

“…The evaluation of folic acid stability in preparations developed with enriched flours was also studied by Phillips [27]. When evaluating tortillas and chip tortillas made from fortified cornmeal, the author found a 13% loss of folic acid.…”