Wheat flour and gluten replacement in gluten-free bread using the regular bread dough process
M. B. NIETO (1). (1) TIC Gums, Inc, White Marsh, MD, U.S.A.
Wheat flour comprises mainly of starch that accounts for 63-72% of its total weight and10-14% gluten - a quite simple composition but very unique properties and certainly most challenging to replace and mimic. Gluten provides elasticity to dough during kneading, air cell structures during proofing and bread structure after baking. Both fractions, the glutenin and gliadin, contribute mainly to the overall water absorption and dough structure of regular flour. Wheat starch, on the other hand, is only activated during baking but provides bulk and additional water absorption to give dough the right texture and consistency. There are many versions of gluten-free flour in the market. Most of them make bread by making a batter and not dough, and all require the use of good amount of water to make the bread rise and a much longer baking time. In this paper, gluten flour replacement was studied by re-making the wheat flour with various combinations of starches, non-gluten proteins and gum polysaccharides. Our results revealed that the choice of starch, protein or gums can make or break the bread using the dough method. A small change in the water absorption of the starch can make the dough too stiff and fail to rise, hence, it was necessary to study different grades of rice, corn, tapioca and potato starches for water absorption. Our screening of various caseins, egg white protein, whey protein isolate, gelatin, rice protein, pea protein, soy protein isolate and protein blends showed that each of these non-gluten proteins can be differentiated on their water absorption and structure they formed during the dough stage, or the lack thereof; on whether the dough structure collapses or forms during baking; and on their textural effects in the finished bread. Furthermore, gum polysaccharide was shown to be a key ingredient in making gluten-free bread using the dough process.
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