GLUTENFREE

Tasty and healthy gluten-free bakery products and pasta - improved products for wide consumer acceptance

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Currently two per cent of European consumers are suffering from coeliac disease that demands a strict gluten-free diet. Gluten is part of all common cereals and therefore contained in basic foodstuffs like bakery products and pasta. The market for gluten-free products, which is predominately served by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), showed considerable growth in the last years. However, the consumer acceptance of respective products is still limited by their insufficient taste, texture and mouth-feeling. GlutenFree will enable SMEs to produce premium gluten-free bakery products and pasta well accepted by the consumer. This will allow the SMEs to participate in this profitable market sector and concurrently improve their competitiveness. The new products have the potential to generate extra annual turnover and additional employment at the SMEs involved. Society will also benefit because coeliac patients as well as healthy consumers will have access to a wide pattern of tasty gluten-free foods which will make the diet and life of coeliac disease patients easier. Multilateral cooperation between food producers, ingredient providers and research institutes will provide required research and development resources as well as scientific knowledge. Alternative ingredients, namely plant proteins and hydrocolloids, should be developed which are able to replace gluten and to form similar network structures in bakery products and pasta. The interaction of different components in the recipes during baking and pasta processing and their influence on the texture and flavour formation will be analysed in order to allow specifically improvements. Sensory improvement should be ensured by using proper raw materials, aromatic malts or sourdoughs. Evaluation of consumer preferences, acceptance and needs will be an integral part of the research and allow target-oriented food developments and promise well accepted products.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Recent years have shown a marked demand for gluten-free products, mainly offered by small and medium-sized enterprises. Seeking to improve the competitiveness of these businesses, the GLUTENFREE project worked to enable them to produce premium gluten-free bakery products and pasta with increased consumer acceptance.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

A number of challenges besets the growing market for gluten-free products. These include high starch content, low-fibre and -protein contents, shorter shelf life, texture issues and nutrient losses due to lengthier cooking times. The GLUTENFREE project carried out a number of scientific and technological development activities to address these problems, helping both the demand and supply sides.

several project studies generated insights into consumer preferences, acceptance and needs. In addition, the effects of a range of proteins, hydrocolloids and fibres on the physico-chemical properties of breads and pasta that relate to structure were investigated. Results provided the basis for target-oriented product development and optimisation, as well as the development of a wide range of recipes for new gluten-free prototypes. The latter was realised through collaboration between the research and technological development (RTD) and industry partners.

research results were also used to implement new gluten-free food prototypes in the production lines of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) project participants, as well as in the production of high-quality gluten-free bakery products and pasta. The latter provided the base for the scale-up and production of food prototypes for a final consumer acceptance study. The results of this study indicated high consumer acceptance of some breads (oat and linseed bread) and the need for improvements in other breads, especially pizza bases.

other project activities included the screening of raw materials and ingredient selection, process development for the production of protein ingredients with good viscoelastic properties. Bioengineering for structural and nutritional value of gluten-free foods included use of specific lactic acid bacteria.

most GLUTENFREE spaghetti prototypes were well accepted by consumers, with one product enjoying comparable status with the gluten-free market leader. Considered as ready for market launch, by the end of the project this product had been commercialised by a pasta producer.

project outcomes have the potential to help SMEs generate extra annual turnover and additional employment. There are benefits for society too: coeliac patients and health-conscious consumers will have a wider range of tastier foods to add to their diet.