Feasibility of commercial breadmaking using chickpea as an ingredient: Functional properties and potential health benefits

The use of pulses, such as chickpea, has become more relevant in baking as they exhibit potential health benefits such as reduction of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and prevention of colon cancer. It is also a good source of highly bioavailable protein at a low cost. This allows companies to develop new innovative products that meet the demand for nutritional value-added baked goods. Further understanding of the baking properties and rheology of chickpea flours will allow the baking industry to overcome processing and quality challenges related to the effects caused by the addition of non-gluten-forming ingredients. Therefore, the objective of this review was to summarize the rheological properties of baking formulations using chickpea as an ingredient in order to produce quality products while preserving the nutritional aspects of this legume. It also covers health benefits linked to chickpea-specific compounds.