One of the key ingredients of tortillas is masa, which is made from corn that has been soaked in an alkaline solution. This process, known as nixtamalization, removes the corn's hull and softens the kernel so it can be ground into masa. The masa is then mixed with water and other ingredients, such as salt and vegetable shortening, to create a dough. The dough is then divided into smaller portions and rolled out into thin, round tortillas.
The tortillas are then cooked on a machine called a griddle, which has heated plates that cook the tortillas on both sides. Once the tortillas are cooked, they are cooled, inspected, and packaged for distribution. In some cases, the tortillas may be shipped to other locations for further processing, such as packaging in smaller quantities for retail sale.
Overall, industrial-scale tortilla production involves several different processes, from the sourcing of ingredients to the packaging and shipping of the final product. Despite the scale of production, the process still requires attention to detail and quality control to ensure that each tortilla meets the standards of the brand or company producing them.
