Effect of Gum Type and Flaxseed Concentration on Quality of Gluten-Free Breads Made from Frozen Dough Baked in Infrared-Microwave Combination Oven
As prevalence of celiac disease increases, the demand for gluten-free products also increases. Researchers are still trying to improve gluten-free bread quality and shelf life to reach the quality of wheat bread. In this study, the aim was to obtain gluten-free breads made from frozen dough with acceptable specific volume, crumb firmness, and color and to investigate the effects of gum type and flaxseed concentration on the quality of gluten-free breads. Three different gum types (guar gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum) were used. Gums were added to the formulation at 1 % level. Flaxseed was also added to the formulation at different concentrations (0, 2.5, and 5 %). After frozen storage at −20 °C for 10 days, frozen samples were thawed at +4 °C. Thawed samples were then fermented and baked in infrared-microwave (IR-MW) combination oven. The quality parameters (weight loss, specific volume, hardness, and color) of gluten-free breads were determined. In addition to the measurement of hardness of fresh samples, hardness of staled samples during the 72-h storage was also determined to investigate the effects of different formulations in retarding the staling of gluten-free breads. When the effects of gums and flaxseed concentration on the quality of breads were considered, the quality of gluten-free breads formulated with guar gum-5 % flaxseed was found to be better (with lower hardness, higher specific volume, and better color) than the other samples. The results obtained during the 72-h storage also demonstrated that gluten-free breads formulated with guar gum-5 % flaxseed had the lowest hardness values.