| Protein-rich flours offer potential for gluten-free foods |
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While the market for gluten free products is increasing, researchers have yet to fully solve the challenge of making products taste as good as wheat-based conventional products. Since gluten impacts significantly on the texture and taste of the final product, replacement of wheat in baked goods, including bread and biscuits, poses technical problems. New research published in the Journal of Food Engineering describes the effect of the addition of different protein isolates (pea, soybean, egg albumen and whey proteins) on the viscosimetric and rheological properties of the rice flour dough, and the development of a protein network through the use of microbial transglutaminase (an enzyme with cross-linking activity). The extent of the effect was dependent on the protein source; the addition of soybean and pea protein isolates and transglutaminase to rice flour resulted in a significant improvement to the water absorption, as well as favourably modifying the mechanical and surface related textural properties. These results may help to broaden the applications for rice flour in the baking industry and improve the palatability and nutritional value of products available to those on a gluten free diet. Source: Journal of Food Engineering |
