Why Do Store-Bought Flour Tortillas Have So Many Ingredients?

A homemade flour tortilla can be made from a short list of ingredients. A packaged tortilla has to do more: move through equipment, stay consistent at high speed, remain soft and foldable, avoid sticking, and last long enough to reach a grocery shelf and then a kitchen.

Comparing three commercial labels shows how different manufacturers solve those constraints. Shortenings manage tenderness, leavening creates puff, acids and preservatives delay mold, and small amounts of gums, emulsifiers, enzymes, or starches help the dough behave predictably.