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The high consumption of maize tortillas in Mexico has prompted the widespread use of instant maize flours in the food industry, lowering the fibre and calcium contents in tortillas compared to the traditional nixtamal process. The inclusion of food sources such as cladodes could improve the nutritional value of maize tortillas. The aim of this study was to assess the physicochemical (rheology, puffing, rollability, and colour) and nutritional (chemical composition and in vitro intestinal bioaccessibility of calcium) parameters of maize tortillas made from commercial flour, substituted with 3% and 6% cladode flour. Partial substitution of maize flour with dried cladodes proved to be a good alternative to conventional tortillas both from a sensorial and a physical point of view. An improved rheological behaviour was observed in the dough, in addition to good puffing and rollability characteristics and an attractive colour of maize tortillas. The substitution of 6% maize flour with dried cladodes increased soluble fibre and calcium contents, and improved calcium intestinal absorption (bioaccessibility 48%), giving a value closer to that of traditional nixtamal maize tortillas. The introduction of cladode-supplemented instant maize flours on the market could help improve the fibre and calcium intake –and thus the health status– of the Mexican population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mexico, especially in Hidalgo State, a variety of insects are sold in different culinary preparation ways, which the most accepted by the consumer living in the city are the butter-fried grasshoppers. Therefore, the objective of this work was to compare the proximal chemical composition and the quality of fatty acids in the butter-fried grasshoppers that are commercialized. The samples of fresh and fried grasshoppers were purchased. The fresh samples were dehydrated and both samples were homogenized and proximal chemical composition and fatty acids were analyzed. The oils were extracted with Soxhlet extraction equipment. To measure the quality of the oils, a chemical analysis and an instrumental analysis were carried out. The lipids were the majority in the dehydrated (40.11%) and fried (47.67%) samples. Moisture and temperature were the variables that increased the lipid degradation in the samples. There was a difference in the percentages of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in dehydrated and fried samples, with 37.11% and 44.41%, and 62.77% and 55.46%, respectively. The excess consumption of this dish, in addition of a low physical activity, can cause damage to the body; therefore, it is suggested to select an alternate lipid source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]