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Description
The high demand for gluten-free products and the low nutritional and sensory quality of that which are available on the market force scientists, technologists and food engineers to explore new improvement strategies. However, the use of flour from grains other than common wheat in baked goods is technologically very compromised and demanding due to the absence of the structural protein network. Gluten complex is the biopolymer responsible for the creation of the viscoelastic network that retains the fermentation gas and generates a well-developed product. The creation of the viscoelastic properties typical for gluten protein is an essential requirement for obtaining technologically viable and sensory acceptable fermented bakery products from GF formulations. The most used technological solutions are based on hydrocolloids application, which make products significantly more expensive.
Therefore, the aim of this research project is to improve the functional and physical-chemical properties of gluten-free (GF) flours in order to increase the offer and quality of gluten-free products, mainly breads from a physical, sensorial and nutritional point of view. The proposal will evaluate the impact of hydrothermal treatments by means of microwave radiation (MW) on flours of high nutritional content and their applicability in the production of GF bread. For this purpose, different treatment conditions will be apply to chosen flours in order to: a) modify functional, thermal and structural properties of chosen flour matrices, b) improve the applicability of such flours as texturizing agents in gel-like products, c) create the structure-forming capacities in gluten-free dough matrices, d) develop the gluten-free breads of high nutritional and organoleptic quality.
This way, it is expected to achieve the necessary technological capacity to develop products with a high added value, based on the substantial improvement of their nutritional and organoleptic properties.