[1] In Spanish, masa harina translates simply to 'dough flour', and can refer to many other types of dough.

This process is nixtamalization, and it produces hominy, which is ground into a relatively dry dough to create fresh masa.

The divalent calcium in lime acts as a cross-linking agent for protein and polysaccharide acidic side chains.

By contrast, untreated cornmeal is unable to form a dough on the addition of water, and a diet heavily reliant on its consumption is a risk factor for pellagra.

In Central American and Mexican cuisine, masa nixtamalera is cooked with water and milk to make a thick, gruel-like beverage called atole.