Mexico scientists make tortilla that needs no fridge

Peering through a microscope, food scientist Raquel Gomez studies microorganisms that add nutrients and preserve tortillas for several weeks without refrigerators — a luxury in impoverished Mexican communities.

- ARTURO ILIZALITURRI GABRIELA COUTINO

The humble tortilla is a Mexican staple, consumed in tacos and other dishes by millions every day, from the Latin American nation’s arid northern deserts to its tropical southern jungle.

Most Mexicans buy fresh corn tortillas from small neighbourhood shops.

The wheat flour version made by Ms Gomez and her team contains probiotics — live microorganisms found in yogurt and other fermented foods.

Along with the nutritional benefits, the fermented ingredients mean the tortilla can be kept for up to a month without refrigeration, much longer than a homemade one, according to its creators.

It was developed “with the most vulnerable people in mind,’ Ms Gomez, a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), told AFP in her laboratory.

Nearly 14% of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition in Mexico, according to official figures.

In Indigenous communities, the figure is around 27%.

NO REFRIGERATOR

The tortilla developed by Gomez is not yet commercially available, but it could benefit people like Teresa Sanchez.