Significance of healthy viscous dietary fibres on the performance of gluten-free rice-based formulated breads

The impact of associated viscous dietary fibres (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose semi-firm – SFE- and weak – NE-gel forming, and barley ß-glucan, BBG) incorporated at different amounts (1.6–7.5%, flour basis) into gluten-free rice-based dough formulations on the breadmaking performance and staling behaviour of hydrated (70–110%, flour basis) fibre-flour composite blends has been investigated. Single BBG addition fails to mimic gluten visco-elasticity properly, but simultaneous incorporation of either SFE or NE contributes to bread improvement in terms of bigger volume and smoother crumb. 3.3 g of BBG (70% purity) and 104 mL of water addition to 100 g rice flour provided sensorially accepted breads (7.6/10) with a theoretical ß-glucan content of 1.24 g per 100 g GF bread that would allow a daily ß-glucan intake of 3 g provided a bread consumption of 240 g day−1. Complementary tests should be carried out to know the amount and molecular weight of ß-glucan in the final bread before assuring the nutritional benefit of this addition.Financial support of the Spanish Institutions Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Projects AGL2012-35088 and AGL2011-22669) and Comunidad de Castilla y León (Project VA252A12-2)Peer reviewe