Lavash or Tortilla, a type of flat bread, is symmetrical, uniform, and expected to be opaque with reddened spots. They should also be soft, and flexible without cracking when folded, and puffed. What are its main characteristics in terms of aspect, texture, flavour, smell...

Tortilla Colour: Can be white to yellow, on the product surface burn-marks are possible.

Tortilla Opacity: Can be opaque to translucent, product surface can be translucent.

Tortilla Shape: Exact tortilla shape is round.

Tortilla Surface: Blisters can be seen on the product surface, size of blister is important.

Tortilla Roughness: It is quantized deviations of the real surface from the ideal form. Variation can be smooth to rough.

Tortilla Rollability: Shelf stability can be determined by rolling a tortilla and evaluating the extent of cracking and breaking.

Tortilla Extensibility: A lower force value means a weaker tortilla, one that would break more easily when being filled with other ingredients such as meat and vegetables.

Tortilla Hardness: Hardness is the force required to bite completely through the sample when placed between molars.

Tortilla Flavour: Acidic /sour, salty, sweet, or bitter

• Why do you like this product? Is it for its sensory properties? Rollability, extensibility, hardness, and of course sensory properties
• What is the worldwide consumption? The total market size is growing day by day. In 2011, it exceeded US$10 million. The market size in Turkey is known to be more than 26000 TL per year.
• Who are the leading consumers of Lavash? Schools are one of the leading consumer segments of lavash bread. These are followed by retails and restaurants.
• In which areas is the consumption of this type of bread growing? According to the Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) growth in consumption is especially high in the USA. Tortillas are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. baking industry with total sales greater than $12 billion. Tortillas represent about 30% of the sales, making them the second most popular bread type in America after white pan bread.
• There are a lot of different flat bread categories, how do you express this diversity? Soft, more traditional, salty or acidic taste, good alternative sandwich bread
• What are the key sensory factors of a “Lavash”? What is the importance of sensory assessment to develop new recipes? Flavor, odour and texture are very important during the development of the new recipe according to consumer expectations.

 

R & D Director Uno / Unmas Turkey