Corn Tortilla Chip Making Machine

Tortilla chips are one of the most famous variety of edibles that are made using yellow corn, white corn, or coarse masa. Corn soaked in a food-grade lime and water solution to break down the hulls are called as masa. The kernels are then ground into flour and then fried along with other ingredients to make chips.

Chips making process
The machines used for preparing tortilla chips are kettles, washers, conveyor system, grinding machines, mixers etc. The first major process in tortilla chip manufacturing is the production of coarse masa or dough. The mixture is heated in a large kettle. After steeping,the solution is pumped onto a conveyor belt for transport to the grinder. This mixture is then cooked in steam kettle but the cooking depends on the characteristics of the corn and the interaction of time, temperature, lime concentration, cooking vessel size, and agitation. Nixtamal used for fried products is generally cooked less than nixtamal used for table tortillas.

Steeping allows water to be absorbed, which disintegrates the hull and soften the kernel. After steeping, the solution is pumped into the washers. Washing in is done in two types of equipments: the drum washer and the lowboy system. In both systems, a conveyor transports the washed, drained nixtamal into a hopper, which then feeds the stone grinder.

The washed nixtamal is then ground using two matched carved stones, one stationary and the other rotating. The stones are made up of different materials. Actual chips are produced using the coarse masa, which is kneaded and mixed into plastic masa by mixers and extruders and then fed to sheeter rolls. The plastic masa is sheeted into a thin layer, which is then cut or forced into a specific configuration. The masa is forced between the rolls, cut, and discharged into the oven for baking. After frying and seasoning, the chips are packaged accordingly.