Delivery system Functionality of biopolymers Packaging
Functionality of biopolymers in gluten-free foods
The market for gluten-free products is growing considerably since an increasing number of people suffering from celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders has been reported. As gluten is essential as the main structure forming agent in dough, it is important to explore alternative ingredients that can replace gluten in cereal-based food products yet produce high-quality foods. Food biopolymers(hydrocolloids) are common gluten substitutes to fulfill the function of structure-forming capacity. We are interested in understanding the roles of biopolymer interactions in the properties of food systems, optimizing the formulation and processing technologies to improve the functionality of biopolymers in gluten-free products.
Project 1. Improvement of the texture properties of gluten-free bread by special dried egg white (M200)
GF breads usually revealed lower loaf volumes, poor texture properties, staled more rapidly than regular wheat bread. The incorporation of special dried egg white improved both sensory quality and nutritional value of GF bread. We are collaborating with Kewpie Group (Tokyo, Japan) and Henningsen Foods, Inc. (Omaha, NE) to optimize GF bread formulations with dried egg white and study the fundamental role of egg proteins in the physicochemical properties of bread.
Publications
Romero, H. M.; Santra, D.; Rose, D.; Zhang, Y., Dough rheological properties and texture of gluten-free pasta based on proso millet flour. Journal of Cereal Science 2017, 74, 238-243.