Nixtamalization
Videos
Nixtamalization is a process for the preparation of maize, or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, washed, and then hulled. The term can als
An 1836 lithograph of tortilla production in rural Mexico
Bowl of hominy (nixtamalized corn kernels)
Dry maize, untreated (left) and boiled in lime (right). In this case, typical of El Salvador, 1 pound (450 g) is boiled with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of lime for 15 minutes, left to stand for a few hours, and washed with fresh water. The hulls are removed, and the kernels ground into masa. Exact methods vary by use and region.[citation needed]
Calcium hydroxide
Videos
Calcium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca2. It is a colorless crystal or white powder and is produced when quicklime is mixed with water. Annually, approximately 125 mill
Nixtamalization
…is a process for the preparation of maize (corn), or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater (but sometimes aqueous alkali metal carbonates), washed, and then hulled. The term can also refer to the removal via an alkali process of the pericarp…
Calcium hydroxide
SEM image of fractured hardened cement paste, showing plates of calcium hydroxide and needles of ettringite (micron scale)
Closeup of cast of The Dying Gaul, showing distinctive hairstyle, supposedly derived from washing in limewater