Influence of Protein and Water Addition on Gluten-Free Dough Properties and Bread Quality

The diversity and nutritional value of the gluten-free products is challenging because of the increasing segment of population with celiac disease. In order to address this issue, the effects of different proteins (powdered eggs, soy, lupin, sodium caseinate and whey) to the gluten-free formulation based on rice and maize flours were assessed. The dough hydration was varied from 55 to 105 %, and dough rheological properties and bread characteristics were tested. The nature of the proteins and water level added to the gluten-free bread recipes has a decisive role on product quality. The best results in terms of rheological behavior were recorded for samples with powdered eggs, soy and lupin protein addition, at water absorption of 95-105 %. Concerning the bread quality, our results showed that protein addition to the rice and maize flours gluten-free formulations allows the improvement of crumb texture.