Bakery Products
Gluten-free breads
The demand for gluten-free products is rising steadily, paralleling the apparent or real increase in coeliac disease and other allergic reactions to wheat gluten. Removal of gluten from flour generates major technical problems for bakers with the result that many gluten-free products currently available on the market are of inferior quality. The research focuses on the use of appropriate functional ingredients to improve the quality of gluten-free breads. Dairy powder addition produced gluten-free breads with increased volume, more appealing crust appearance and improved sensory quality. The inclusion of rice starches in bread dough formulations resulted in loaves with good crust and crumb colour as well as softer crumb texture. Inulin incorporation resulted in a fourfold increase in dietary fibre content. An optimised, gluten-free bread formulation based on rice flour, potato starch and a blend of gums is now available to industry.
Contact
Eimear Gallagher, egallagher@nfc.teagasc.ie
Organic breads and confectionery
Because of health and environmental concerns, an increasing number of customers desire to purchase organic food products. There is, therefore, an urgent need to identify suitable organic bakery ingredients (including flour) as organic replacements for conventional materials. Screening tests indicated that four organic flours tested had lower protein contents than a non-organic control flour and consistently produced lower loaf volumes. Many staled at a faster rate, and had variable crumb structure, ranging from porous to tightly packed gas cells. Currently, the use of organic improvers such as organic gluten is being investigated.
Contact
Eimear Gallagher, egallagher@nfc.teagasc.ie
Quality improvement in baked goods through enzyme action
Variations in the quality of flour are the main reason behind inconsistent quality in baked goods. They also limit opportunities for novel product manufacture. Remedies for such variations have traditionally included the incorporation of flour improving agents but consumers are now resistant to their continued use. Hemicellulase enzymes are naturally occurring catalysts, which have the capacity to alter the physical structure and chemical properties of carbohydrates in wheatflour. Such modifications can affect organoleptic and functional properties of e.g. bread. Outcomes to date have revealed that such hemicellulases can increase loaf volume, improve crumb texture, and delay staling in white and brown breads.
Contact
Gerry Downey, gdowney@nfc.teagasc.ie
Support for Bakery industry
This embraces grain testing, milling, flour testing, formulation, product development, dough and batter rheology, test baking (for industry and DAF), packaging, freezing, gas flushing and sensory analysis of baked goods. Identification of foreign bodies in bakery products is a priority.
Contact
Aidan Morrissey, amorrissey@nfc.teagasc.ie
