Use of Pulse Ingredients to Develop Healthier Baked Products With growing interest in formulating more nutritious ready-to-eat foods, the food industry is looking for alternative ingredients that can deliver enhanced nutrition and functionality. Pulses are high in protein, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins and low in fat, making them ideal ingredients for use in baked goods. Partial substitution of pulse flours for wheat flour in baked goods is possible, although modifications to the formulation and/or processing conditions may be necessary to achieve desired end-product quality. For products such as tortillas, pita breads, and crackers, studies showed it was possible to incorporate pulse flours at levels between 20 and 30%. Depending on the level of substitution, the total dietary fiber content can be significantly increased, which would allow a fiber claim. Studies that examined the addition of various types of pea fiber fractions showed it is possible to enhance the nutritional profile of bagels without significantly affecting end-product quality. Pulse flours have also been used to produce gluten-free baked goods such as pizza crusts and cookies, but blending of pulse flours with other gluten-free flours is necessary to optimize end-product quality. |