de la Rosa-Millan Julian
Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Centro de Biotecnologia FEMSA, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Tecnologico, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
Foods. 2025 Jul 23;14(15):2576. doi: 10.3390/foods14152576.
Traditional taco preparation methods, such as oil immersion and steaming, can significantly affect the nutritional and metabolic characteristics of the final product. This study evaluated tacos made with five commercial nixtamalized maize flours and four common fillings (chicharron, beef skirt, potato, and refried beans), processed using three different methods: Plain, Full-Fat, and Patted-Dry. We assessed their chemical composition, starch digestibility, and thermal properties, and measured satiety-related hormone responses in mice. Fillings had a stronger influence on protein, fat, and moisture content than tortilla type. Full-fat tacos exhibited increased amylose-lipid complex formation and a lower gelatinization enthalpy, whereas plain tacos retained more retrograded starch and a crystalline structure. In vitro digestion revealed that Plain tacos, especially those with plant-based fillings, had the highest resistant starch content and the lowest predicted glycemic index. Hierarchical clustering showed that resistant starch, moisture, and gelatinization onset temperature were closely linked in the Plain samples, whereas lipid-driven variables dominated in the Full-Fat tacos. In mice, tacos with a higher resistant starch content led to greater GLP-1 levels, lower ghrelin levels, and reduced insulin responses, suggesting improved satiety and glycemic control. Patted-Dry tacos showed intermediate hormonal effects, supporting their potential as a balanced, health-conscious alternative. These findings demonstrate how traditional preparation techniques can be leveraged to enhance the nutritional profile of culturally relevant foods, such as tacos.
传统的玉米饼制作方法，如油浸和蒸煮，会显著影响最终产品的营养和代谢特性。本研究评估了用五种市售经石灰处理的玉米粉和四种常见馅料（炸猪皮、牛裙肉、土豆和炒豆）制作的玉米饼，采用三种不同方法加工：原味、全脂和拍干。我们评估了它们的化学成分、淀粉消化率和热特性，并测量了小鼠中与饱腹感相关的激素反应。馅料对蛋白质、脂肪和水分含量的影响比玉米饼类型更大。全脂玉米饼表现出直链淀粉 - 脂质复合物形成增加和糊化焓降低，而原味玉米饼保留了更多回生淀粉和晶体结构。体外消化显示，原味玉米饼，尤其是那些含有植物性馅料的，具有最高的抗性淀粉含量和最低的预测血糖指数。层次聚类表明，抗性淀粉、水分和糊化起始温度在原味样品中密切相关，而在全脂玉米饼中脂质驱动的变量占主导。在小鼠中，抗性淀粉含量较高的玉米饼导致更高的胰高血糖素样肽 -1 水平较低的胃饥饿素水平和降低的胰岛素反应，表明饱腹感和血糖控制得到改善。拍干玉米饼显示出中等的激素效应，支持它们作为一种均衡、注重健康的替代品的潜力。这些发现证明了如何利用传统制备技术来改善具有文化相关性的食物，如玉米饼的营养成分。
