Question

Arrange the steps involved in alkali processing of maity (maize) 
[A.] Washing with fresh water 
[B.] Steeping in water for 14 hours 
[C.] Milling to obtain "masa" 
[D.] Mixing with water and lime at 90\(^{\circ}\)C for 50 minutes 
Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

• A. D, B, C, A
• B. D, B, A, C
• C. B, A, D, C
• D. C, B, D, A

Hint:

The key to nixtamalization is "cook with lime first". After cooking comes soaking (steeping), then washing away the hull, and finally grinding to make the dough (masa).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand the process of nixtamalization (alkali processing of maize). This traditional process makes the maize more nutritious and easier to grind.

Step 2: Order the steps logically. 1. (D) Cooking: The first step is to cook the dried maize kernels in an alkaline solution, typically water with calcium hydroxide (lime). This softens the outer hull (pericarp).
2. (B) Steeping: After cooking, the maize is left to steep or soak in the cooking liquid, often overnight. This allows the alkali to continue its work, loosening the hull and causing chemical changes that release niacin.
3. (A) Washing: The steeped maize is then washed thoroughly to remove the cooking liquid and the loosened pericarp. 4. (C) Milling: Finally, the washed, softened maize (now called nixtamal) is ground into a dough called masa, which is used to make tortillas and other products.
The correct sequence is D \(\rightarrow\) B \(\rightarrow\) A \(\rightarrow\) C.