Baking & Snack - November 2005 - 23

"Cracked corn results in inconsistent moisture uptake,
which leads to inconsistent product quality."
After cooking for approximately 10 to 20 minutes, corn
transfers to one of eight kettles where it steeps for up to
10 hours. Four air jets located in the base of each tank
agitate the steeping corn, so no physical mixing takes
place. "This is another innovation by the supplier that
improves finished product quality," Mr. Cardenas said.
After steeping, the cooked corn is washed and ground
before it mixes with other minor ingredients and transfers to the JC Ford continuous processing line for fresh
corn tortillas. The plant also uses two Lawrence Equipment processing lines for fresh corn and is currently
evaluating the JC Ford and Lawrence systems to determine a standard for the future.
The two other corn tortilla lines use masa flour, which
goes through a more traditional mixing processes using
Peerless 600-lb mixers. After mixing, dough in JC Ford
troughs is lifted on dough lifts to presheeters, then fed
through die-cutters with scrap take-off. A mezzanine that
connects all the corn processing lines allows one operator to monitor all these corn lines simultaneously, saving
considerable labor cost.
These systems provide easy changeover
between types and colors of corn because
dough releases very cleanly and there are
no crevices where dough can get stuck.

Corn tortillas bake in corresponding JC Ford ovens at
high temperature (400° to 600°F) for 10 to 12 seconds.
Each line is can produce up to 7,000 doz per hour.
FLOUR AND BEYOND. Flour tortilla production uses
one JC Ford continuous flour tortilla system that forms
and flattens dough balls in a continuous motion after
dough is prepared in a Peerless 800-lb mixer.
Continuous systems use one loading system regardless
of product size, and the continuous motion avoids the constant start/stop of the indexing design. Dough is continuously deposited, sheeted and die-cut to the appropriate size.
Lawrence Equipment indexing systems are used on the first
and third lines. Index processing involves depositing dough
balls on a belt, which then indexes forward where a series of
two presses come down to flatten the balls into round tortillas. Depending on product sizes, indexing systems require
different depositing heads. The high-speed unit is capable of
producing 1,500 to 2,000 doz tortillas per hour.
After baking, discharge conveyors transfer tortillas
through specially designed rooms where products cool
from 190° to 50°F in less then 10 minutes. The rooms,
lined in stainless steel, are temperature and humidity
controlled with precise airflow that prevents condensation from forming on walls or ceiling. "Condensation
can foster mold," Mr. Cardenas said. "Cooling is the most
vulnerable point in the tortilla quality process."
The packaging room is temperature controlled for
product and employee benefits, and Lobo installed high
windows around the room to admit plenty of ambient
light. Packaging equipment includes counter/stackers
from JC Ford, Lawrence and ArrTech. Doboy and Formost baggers package product.
VISION AND PASSION. One of the unique features of
the plant is its hospital-grade pneumatic airflow and filtration system. Air is changed out in the facility five times per
hour and all air is filtered to 0.05 microns. Aluminum piping is used throughout the plant instead of copper or iron.
Plant security and bioterrorism were part of the initial
design and engineering and included several initiatives.
"We control and limit access points to the plant and
critical areas within the plant using thumbprint identification," Mr. Sommerhalder said. "More than 40 closed
circuit digital video cameras keep tabs on the plant, and
silos and critical ingredient areas are locked down."
Although a newcomer to the tortilla scene, Lobo Tortilla is certainly no novice. Strong management, clear
vision, first-class operations and passion to be the best in
all its pursuits are its formula for success.
Ⅲ
ᮤ With sufficient space for additional silos, employees and delivery drivers
make no mistake as to the contents of each silo.
FRIEDEL PHOTOGRAPHIC

26 / BAKING & SNACK / November 2005

Baking & Snack - November 2005

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