Fortification of all-purpose wheat-flour tortillas with calcium lactate, calcium carbonate, or calcium citrate is acceptable

Abstract

Fortification helps provide adequate nutrients for individuals not meeting daily needs. Foods may be fortified with calcium to assist individuals with lactose intolerance and others preferring not to consume traditional forms of dairy. This study examined the quality of all-purpose wheat-flour tortillas fortified with calcium lactate, calcium carbonate, or calcium citrate. These tortillas were compared to similarly prepared nonfortified flour tortillas (control) and commercial nonfortified flour tortillas. Calcium-fortified tortillas contained 114 mg elemental calcium per standard serving (48 g tortilla), an 8.6-fold increase compared to nonfortified tortillas. Moisture contents and rollabilities of all tortillas were similar. Consumers (N=87) evaluated each tortilla in duplicate using a hedonic scale and reported liking the appearance, texture, flavor, aftertaste, and overall acceptability of all tortillas. However, the appearance of control tortillas was preferred over commercial tortillas (P<0.01), whereas the aftertaste of commercial tortillas or those fortified with calcium carbonate was preferred over the control (P<0.05). Despite these differences, consumers were equally willing to purchase both fortified and nonfortified tortillas, suggesting that appearance and aftertaste may not influence willingness to purchase. Overall, this study shows that fortification of flour tortillas with various forms of calcium is a feasible alternative calcium source.