Innovative approaches towards improved gluten-free bread properties

Abstract

Up to now, most of the research available to improve gluten-free (GF) bread is based on substituting or imitating the gluten network. Slightly less attention is given to technological approaches that modify batter properties such as consistency. This review summarizes the most recent advances to improve GF bread quality, focusing on latest conventional ingredients (e.g. hydrocolloids) and new innovative approaches to replace the gluten-network (i.e., use of enzymes, alternative polymer network), but especially on novel technological approaches, such as high hydrostatic pressure, sourdough technology and non-conventional heating methods. In general, hydrocolloids are still the most studied and well-known additives to gluten-free products, followed by the use of crosslinking enzymes. Within the review, special focus is given to the application of arabinoxylans, which form a stable carbohydrate network in GF batters that may substitute gluten. However, it was seen that technological approaches provide better solutions for enhancing GF bread properties than the latter, especially when non-conventional baking alternatives are applied. From these, ohmic heating resulted the most promising approach to overcome bread quality issues, while remaining time and energy-efficient.