Abstract: A high pressure process and system for the production of fresh whole corn masa, nixtamalized whole corn flour, and derivates wherein dry corn grains are transported by means of an elevator to a series of cleaning screens to separate impurities and foreign material before they are subjected to a cooking step. The corn grains as well as lime and water are fed continuously to a cooking device, which is subjected under a combination of pressure and temperature, to reduce the time of cooking of the whole corn grains. So, nixtamalized corn grains are obtained for the preparation of fresh whole corn masa and nixtamalized whole corn flour for tortillas, tortilla chips or the like.

Abstract: A process for the production of fresh masa, nixtamalized flour and derived produts is disclosed. Water-lime cooking of pericarp fractions of the corn, and appropriate hydration of the germ and endosperm fractions of the corn is achieved to prepare fresh masa, nixtamalized corn flour and derived products. The pericarp fractions are cooked with lime and water at a temperature between about 50° C. to about 300° C. The germ and endosperm fractions are hydrated with water. The pericarp fractions and the germ-endosperm fractions are milled separately, and the milled pericarp, germ and endosperm fractions are then mixed for producing fresh corn masa. The fresh corn masa can be dehydrated and milled for producing nixtamalizaed corn flour. Also, the pericarp, germ and endosperm fractions can be dried in order to produce nixtamalized corn flour.

Abstract: Cooking of dough-based food products such as corn tortillas is effected with a considerably reduced cooking time by applying to the uncooked tortilla very low and low frequency radio frequency waves simultaneously on both sides of the tortilla in order to quickly cook both surfaces of the tortilla. This cooking forms the capping layers that retain a high degree of moisture within the body of the tortilla without unduly drying it. The radio frequency waves are preferably applied by an antenna formed by two parallel arrays of electrodes, one on each side of the tortilla, the arrays of electrodes having alternate electrodes of opposite polarity to constitute dipoles which irradiate the radio frequency waves approximately parallelly to both sides of the tortilla.

Abstract: Cooking of wheat flour dough tortillas is effected with a considerably reduced cooking time and with the preservation of the characteristics of tortillas obtained by the traditional manual cooking methods, by applying to the uncooked tortillas infrared radiation waves within a wavelength band possessing a maximum absorption factor simultaneously perpendicularly directed on both faces of the tortilla in order to quickly cook both surfaces of the same thus forming outermost capping layers that retain moisture within the body of the tortilla and prevent the dehydration of the same in the cooking cycle.

Abstract: Cooking of food products and particularly of dough-based food products such as corn tortillas is effected with a considerably reduced cooking time by applying to the uncooked food product infrared radiation waves simultaneously on both sides of the food product in order to quickly cook both surfaces of the same thus forming capping layers that retain a high degree of moisture within the body of the food product without unduly drying the same. The infrared radiation waves are preferably applied by means of an optical arrangement formed by two parallel arrays of infrared emitters, one on each side of the food product, said arrays of emitters having a plurality of resistive elements to generate said infrared radiation and optical reflectors to direct said radiation perpendicularly to both sides of the food product.

Abstract: Instant fresh corn dough or masa may be prepared in short processing times, with low energy consumption and without liquid wastes by extruding a mixture of corn flour, lime and water in an extrusion or kneading chamber until a homogeneous dough is obtained, heating the homogeneous dough to cooking temperature while kneading is continued, expelling the cooked dough through a die from the extrusion chamber to a holding chamber, cooling the dough in said holding chamber and discharging the cooked and cooled dough through a discharge orifice, whereby the total processing time may be reduced to between 1.5 to a maximum of 7 minutes for the preparation of a fully nixtamalized corn dough or masa.

Abstract: Cooking of food products and particularly of dough-based food products such as corn tortillas is effected with a considerably reduced cooking time by applying to the uncooked food product very low and low frequency radio frequency waves simultaneously on both sides of the food product in order to quickly cook both surfaces of the same thus forming capping layers that retain a high degree of moisture within the body of the food product without unduly drying it. The radio frequency waves are preferably applied by an antenna formed by two parallel arrays of electrodes one on each side of the food product, the arrays of electrodes having alternate electrodes of opposite polarity to constitute dipoles which irradiate the radio frequency waves approximately parallelly to both sides of the food product.

Abstract: Instant fresh corn dough or masa may be prepared in short processing times, with low energy consumption and without liquid wastes by extruding a mixture of corn flour, lime and water in an extrusion or kneading chamber until a homogeneous dough is obtained, heating the homogeneous dough to cooking temperature while kneading is continued, expelling the cooked dough through a die from the extrusion chamber to a holding chamber, cooling the dough in said holding chamber and discharging the cooked and cooled dough through a discharge orifice, whereby the total processing time may be reduced to between 1.5 to a maximum of 7 minutes for the preparation of a fully nixtamalized corn dough or masa.