Effect of Traditional and Non-Traditionally Processed Blue Corn Tortilla Consumption During the Gestation of Rats in...

The effect of consuming traditionally and non-traditionally processed blue corn tortillas on the dentate gyrus of rat pups during gestation was evaluated. Blue corn tortillas were made from grains steeped or not steeped in a solution of gallic acid and processed by traditional or microwave nixtamalization. Total polyphenol and total anthocyanin contents were analyzed. At day 20 of gestation, the pups were analyzed according to the diet administered to the pregnant rats, as follows: the control group fed with standard diet; the TN group = standard diet + blue corn tortilla by traditional nixtamalization; the TNGA group = standard diet + blue corn tortilla by traditional nixtamalization + gallic acid; the MN group = standard diet + blue corn tortilla by microwave nixtamalization; and the MNGA group = standard diet + blue corn tortilla by microwave nixtamalization + gallic acid. The cell density and soma size of the dentate gyrus in pups, along with the number of pups per litter and the litter weight, were recorded. The highest polyphenol and anthocyanin content were found in blue corn tortillas made from grains steeped in gallic acid and processed by microwave nixtamalization. The MNGA group showed larger litters as well as higher cell density (33%) and soma size (50% in the range of 30-50 μm²) in the dentate gyrus of pups as compared to the control.