nixtamalization

Nixtamalization is a traditional food processing method used with maize in which dried corn is cooked and soaked in an alkaline solution, typically water with calcium hydroxide (cal or lime). The process loosens the pericarp, improves flavor and aroma, and prepares the kernels for grinding into masa, the dough used to make tortillas, tamales, and other dishes. After cooking and soaking, the hulls are washed away and the kernels are ground, yielding masa or, when dried, masa harina.

The usual steps involve cleaning the maize, cooking it in the lime solution, and allowing it to steep until the grains are sufficiently softened. The mixture is then rinsed thoroughly to remove lignified hulls and excess lime, after which the softened kernels are ground into a masa or dried to masa harina. The resulting product is more pliable and easier to work with than untreated maize.

Nutritional and culinary effects of nixtamalization are significant. The alkaline treatment increases the bioavailability of niacin, helping prevent pellagra in maize-based diets. It also enhances calcium content and can improve protein digestibility and flavor. The dough formed from nixtamalized maize has superior stickiness and elasticity, which is important for forming tortillas and other dough-based products.

Historically, nixtamalization traces to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and became central to many cuisines in the Americas. Today it remains a foundational technique in traditional foods and is commercially produced as masa harina for tortillas, tamales, and other maize-based foods.