Question

Arrange the steps involved in alkali processing of maity (maize) 
[A.] Washing with fresh water 
[B.] Steeping in water for 14 hours 
[C.] Milling to obtain "masa" 
[D.] Mixing with water and lime at 90\(^{\circ}\)C for 50 minutes 
Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

• A. D, B, C, A
• B. D, B, A, C
• C. B, A, D, C
• D. C, B, D, A

Hint:

The key to nixtamalization is "cook with lime first". After cooking comes soaking (steeping), then washing away the hull, and finally grinding to make the dough (masa).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Familiarize yourself with nixtamalization (alkaline treatment of maize). This age-old technique enhances the nutritional value of maize and simplifies grinding.

Step 2: Arrange the nixtamalization steps in the correct order.1. (D) Cooking: The initial step involves cooking dried maize kernels in an alkaline solution, typically a water and calcium hydroxide (lime) mixture. This process softens the outer layer (pericarp).
2. (B) Steeping: Following cooking, the maize undergoes steeping or soaking in the cooking liquid, usually overnight. This allows the alkali to further loosen the hull and trigger chemical reactions that liberate niacin.
3. (A) Washing: Subsequently, the steeped maize is thoroughly washed to eliminate the cooking liquid and detached pericarp.4. (C) Milling: The final step involves grinding the washed, softened maize (nixtamal) into masa, a dough used for making tortillas and other food items.
The correct order is D \(\rightarrow\) B \(\rightarrow\) A \(\rightarrow\) C.