Effect of ingredients on the quality characteristics of gluten free snacks

Gluten-free grains: Importance, processing and its effect on quality of gluten-free products

Gluten-enteropathy affects a significant number of people, making gluten a major concern in the food industry. With medical advancements, the diagnosis of allergies is becoming easier, and people who are allergic to gluten are recommended a complete gluten-free diet. Since wheat provides a major part of the energy and nutrition in the diet, its elimination affects nutrition intake of allergic population. Food scientists are working to formulate products using protein-rich gluten-free grains with quality attributes at par with gluten-containing products. Focused research has been done to provide nutrition and a variety of food to people suffering from gluten-related disorders. Efforts are being made to remove the gluten from the wheat and other gluten-containing grains, while applying different processing/treatments to enhance the properties of gluten-free grains. Hence, the present review summarizes the importance, processing, and products of different gluten-free grains. It also highlights the digestibility of gluten-free grains with clinical trials and gluten elimination strategies for gluten-containing grains.

Utilization of Pepeta, a locally processed immature rice-based food product, to promote food security in Tanzania

Consumption of pepeta, a traditionally processed immature rice product, is common in Tanzania, where it contributes to food security as an early rice food i.e. when there is no other food available at the household while the crops in the field not yet fully ripe. Many production steps are needed to guarantee a consistent, good quality pepeta product, and this hinders its utilization in other rice-growing sub-Saharan regions. This study aims to gain insight into the pepeta processing knowledge and final product, and assess variations in the processing conditions and parameters across the study area. A survey among 257 Tanzanian processors and consumers revealed that the pepeta product is widely known, rated second (73.5% respondents) as rice-based food after wali (cooked white rice, (100%)) and linked to traditions of the communities in the study area. Harvest of immature rice grain, roasting, pounding, cleaning, and packing are the main process steps of pepeta production. Method of rice harvest, rice suitability for pepeta production after optimum harvest, dryness of grains and number of pounding as indicator to terminate roasting and pounding process respectively, and packaging materials used varied significantly across respondents in the study area. Reported criteria considered by respondents for product acceptability did not vary significantly across study area. The criteria include colour (76.5%), general appearance (60.8%), texture (64.7%) and taste (52.9%). Immature rice paddy and pepeta were sold at a higher price than mature rice paddy and white rice, respectively, which implies that options to facilitate pepeta processing through, for instance, standardization of processing conditions and parameters could lead to increased income.

Current applications of gluten-free grains - a review

The population of Americans suffering from celiac, gluten intolerance, and wheat allergy is 1 in every 14 people. Also, many are choosing gluten-free (GF) diets nowadays because of the perception that it is a healthier option for them. Therefore, in the last decade, the GF market in the US and all over the world has seen significant growth. Globally, GF product sales reached 4.63 billion USD in 2017, and are expected to reach 6.47 billion USD by 2023, a projected compound annual growth rate of 7.6%. Several grains like millet, corn, sorghum, and pseudocereals like amaranth, quinoa, and teff are the main ingredients for a gluten diet. Though most of them have a comparable nutrient profile as common grains, the main challenge to their acceptability is the quality departure from gluten-containing counterparts and imbalance nutrients that ensue when food processing aids like starch, gums, and enzymes are used. In this review, we profiled some of the common grains, their characteristics, functionality and the various food types they are used for. We also reviewed the impact of some of the current food processing aids like starch, hydrocolloids used for improving functionality, and processing techniques like extrusion suitable for making remarkable GF foods.