Researchers at Teagasc Food Research Ashtown, a subsidiary of Ireland’s Agriculture and Food development Authority, have produced gluten-free breads for coeliac disease sufferers.
According to Teagasc, although gluten-free alternatives are readily available in the market, these products are often characterised by a crumbly, brittle texture, and are perceived as being of inferior quality compared to the wheat products they are intended to replace.
Gluten-free products have also been reported to contain lower levels of essential nutrients, such as B vitamins, iron and fibre, than are contained in wheat products.
Teagasc Food Research has formulated palatable, gluten-free breads with enhanced nutritional properties. It has focused on using the so-called ‘pseudocereals’ amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat to replace wheat in bread formulations.
“Nutritional studies revealed that gluten-free breads containing pseudocereals had significantly higher levels of protein and dietary fibre in comparison with the gluten-free control,” said Eimear Gallagher, Teagasc Food Research Ashtown, who is leading the research project.