Utilization of chestnut flour in gluten-free bread formulations

In this study, gluten-free bread formulations using chestnut and rice flours at different ratios (0/100, 10/90, 20/80, 30/70, 40/60, 50/50 and 100/0) were tested. In addition, the influence of hydrocolloid blend (xanthan-locustbean gum (LBG), xanthan-guar gum blend) and emulsifier DATEM on the rheological properties of dough formulations and quality parameters of breads were also investigated for the samples having chestnut/rice flour ratio of 10/90, 20/80, 30/70 and 40/60. Herschel-Bulkley model was found to explain the flow behavior of all dough formulations. The power-law index (n) of dough samples at 25 °C ranged from 0.52 to 0.87, the consistency index (K) of the samples ranged from 3.6 to 79 Pa sⁿ and the yield stress of the samples ranged from 4.8 to 85.9 Pa. The breads prepared with chestnut/rice flour ratio of 30/70 and containing xanthan-guar blend and emulsifier, had higher quality in terms of hardness, specific volume, color and sensory values. However, elevated levels of chestnut flour led to some deterioration in quality parameters (low volume, harder texture and darker color) regardless of gum blend and emulsifier addition.