Chickpea and tiger nut flours as alternatives to emulsifier and shortening in gluten-free bread

Abstract

Chickpea protein has good emulsifying properties, which improve gluten-free bread volume. Tiger nut is a tuber with high lipid content of healthy fatty acid profile. Taking into account these characteristics, the effect of chickpea and tiger nut flours addition to gluten-free batters and breads in order to partially or totally replace emulsifier and/or shortening in gluten-free formulations has been studied. Four formulations were compared: corn starch; 7.8 g/100 g chickpea flour and corn starch; 8.6 g/100 g tiger nut flour and corn starch; 7.8 g/100 g chickpea flour + 8.6 g/100 g tiger nut flour and corn starch. The combination of three levels of shortening (5, 2.5 and 0 g/100 g) and three levels of emulsifier (2, 1 and 0 g/100 g) was evaluated in each basic formulation. Chickpea flour increased bread specific volume but tiger nut flour reduced it. When chickpea protein and emulsifier were added in the formulation, shortening increased G′and specific volume, and reduced initial crumb firmness. Bread elaborated with both chickpea and tiger nut flour maintained its baking characteristics (bake loss, specific volume, crust and crumb color and, crumb hardness) even when shortening and/or emulsifier were reduced or eliminated.