Developing New Gluten-Free Cracker Formulas Using Various Flour Samples

Abstract

Owing to the change in lifestyle, busy consumers are increasingly purchasing convenient baked goods, such as crackers. Cereal based products particularly crackers are highly appreciated by consumers especially by children because of their crispy texture and characteristic delicious taste. In modern times, people have begun to pay more attention to issues related to healthy food consumption. Nowadays, consumers are more selective and preferring food, not only to taste, but also to take care that they contain more nutritious ingredients in terms of health and this has made it necessary to develop healthy snacks. A very important part of the currently produced crackers is manufactured using soft wheat flour. As is known, wheat flour contains gluten proteins, which hampers the use of food ingredients produced by the component in question by celiac patients. Today, food production for patient groups such as Celiac, Diabetes, Phenylketonuria, Beriberi and Pellagra are among the most important topics that the food industry and the scientists working in this field. Gluten-free cracker studies are not seen in the literature despite the fact that some studies have been carried out scientifically on the cracker which is consumed by being loved and having a long shelf life. Therefore, scientific studies on gluten-free crackers are thought to be useful and necessary. Based on this basic point, the main purpose of the study is; to develop new cracker formulas for celiac patients by using various flour samples (quinoa flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour, corn flour and semolina, almond flour, peanut flour and sesame, chickpea flour and lentil flour) in cracker production. As is known, the main factor affecting the product quality of baked goods is the flour. Because of flour is the main component of many bakery products including crackers. Another aim of the study is to examine the variations in product quality by substituting flour with other flour derivatives in the formula which is the main component of cracker quality.