Effects of different types of hydrocolloids on the quality improvement of gluten-free rice flour bread made with soymilk

The leavening of gluten-free rice flour bread is enhanced when soymilk is used instead of water. However, as the amount of batter is increased to bake bread in the shape of a square, the crumb becomes less dense. This study aimed to investigate the effects of hydrocolloids (xanthan, guar, curdlan, methylcellulose, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) on crumb hollowing. When 0.5 % methylcellulose or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was added to gluten-free bread made with soymilk, the crumb could be baked without hollowing. The addition of 1 % or more of cellulose derivatives is needed to ensure satisfactory leavening of gluten-free bread. By combining cellulose derivatives with soymilk, a homogeneous crumb structure could be achieved with the addition of 0.5 % of cellulose derivatives. These results suggest that cellulose derivatives are effective for preventing bread from losing density, as they contribute to bubble stabilization via their interfacial activity and promote superior viscosity.