Project
The role of different ingredients in the quality determination of gluten free bread
Patients suffering from celiac disease, an autoimmune disease, cannot consume gluten and have to follow a life-long strictly gluten-free diet. Some people also follow a gluten-free diet for other reasons, such as non-celiac gluten sensitivity or a lifestyle trend. Therefore, the demand for quality gluten-free products is increasing. Today, gluten-free products on the market still have a lower quality than their wheat-based counterparts. Examples of quality defects are a crumbly crumb, a lack of taste and mouthfeel, a pale color and fast staling. Manufacturers of gluten-free end products, as well as their suppliers search for solutions to enhance the quality of these products. In this PhD project, several ingredients and additives with known positive influence on gluten-free bread quality are selected based on scientific literature. By monitoring different parameters during the complete bread making process (batter preparation, fresh bread and staling) and comparing the effect of ingredients or additives with control recipes, the aim is to understand the role of these ingredients and additives in the quality determination of gluten-free bread. Understanding these quality determining parameters could allow target companies to assess the applications of ingredients and additives in the development of new gluten-free bread recipes more easily. Thus, the development of new gluten-free bread recipes will be faster and more focused.