Effect of the addition of fresh cactus (nopal) on the production of enriched maize flour and tortillas

• Improved machinability of nixtamalized corn flour by adding fresh-sliced nopal. • Viscosity was higher in traditional vs commercial nixtamalized corn flour. • TNCF and CNCF showed viscoelastic behavior when fresh-sliced nopal was added. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding fresh nopal on the properties of corn dough during the preparation of tortillas. Key properties analyzed included water retention capacity, texture, elasticity, and viscosity. All corn dough enriched with nopal at 2, 4, 6, and 8% fresh nopal produced tortillas. Proximal composition, insoluble, soluble, and total dietary fiber were analyzed following the recommended methods in the bibliography. Solid-state rheometry and viscoelastic properties (elastic and viscous moduli) were used to establish apparent viscosity profiles. Dough hardness was evaluated using a Swick/Roell Z005 universal testing machine. Fresh nopal contained 12.5% crude protein, 2.5% ash, and 48–51% moisture. Nopal-enriched corn flour maintained dough workability at the maximum fresh nopal content of 8%. Dough viscosity ranged from 2500 to 3200 mPa-s, indicating suitability for tortilla production. Additionally, the corn dough exhibited predominantly elastic behavior, supporting its potential for high-quality tortilla manufacturing.