Application of wounding stress to produce a nutraceutical-rich carrot powder ingredient and its incorporation to nixtamalized corn flour tortillas

- Wounding stress was applied to carrot to increase the content of nutraceuticals.
- Stressed carrots were transformed into a powder (SCP).
- SCP contained more chlorogenic acid and dietary fiber than regular carrot powder.
- SCP was incorporated to nixtamalized corn flour tortillas at 10% level.
- Tortillas with 10% SCP showed to be an excellent source of phenolics and vitamin A.

Wounding stress was applied to carrot to obtain a nutraceutical-rich carrot powder (stressed-carrot powder, SCP) that contained 522, 225, and 23% more chlorogenic acid, total phenolics, and dietary fiber, respectively, compared to regular carrot powder. Tortillas were produced by substituting nixtamalized corn flour with 10% w/w dry weight (DW) of SCP, showing considerable sensory acceptability, and causing an increase in masa elasticity and deformation resistance. Furthermore, SCP substitution induced a change in color of tortillas to yellow, but did not affect cohesiveness and adhesiveness of masa, neither the dimensions, rollability, texture, nor shelf-life of tortillas. Unlike regular tortillas, 10% SCP tortillas had chlorogenic acid, β-carotene, α-carotene, and lutein (270, 39, 36, and 15 µg/g DW, respectively), 155% more total phenolics, and 35% more dietary fiber. SCP is a suitable ingredient for nutraceutical enhancement of foods, which could greatly aid in the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases.

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