The Impact of Palatability when Replacing Wheat Flour with a

Combination of Chia Seed Flour and Buckwheat Flour to Satisfy Gluten

Free Requirements

Amber Smith

Celiac disease is on the rise in the United States and

many people are severely affected by it. 1 in 133 Americans or 2 million Americans in total have

this disease. Celiac disease is a hereditary ailment that causes an

inflammatory immune response, which is triggered by the presence of the gluten protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

Gluten is made up of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin. When water is added to these two proteins and kneading

is performed, a network of gluten forms and gives structure to baked goods

Why Should We Make Baked Goods Gluten Free?

My project objective was to make an

appealing gluten free pumpkin bread that closely resembled the original wheat flour product in both taste and texture

Buckwheat flour was used for its silky smooth texture similar to traditional bleached white flour usually used in baked products.

Chia seed flour was added to the blend for its gelatinization properties to help maintain the moist quality of the bread.

Objective

Blend Variations

A subjective test was conducted and used 49 female

test subjects aged 18-23. The hedonic affective test method was used on the

participants and assessed taste, texture and appearance of the three modified breads.

The control was given to each participant before the taste test so they had reference to what each modified bread was trying to mimic.

Each bread was given a random three digit code and presented on a plain white paper plate, in a well-lit room.

Subjective Test

Subjective Test

Scorecard

A physical objective test that looked

for texture measurements was conducted by using a penetrometer to test the firmness of the pumpkin bread.

The needle of the penetrometer was inserted into the top of each loaf and the reading was shown on the dial.

Measurements of the breads’ heights were also taken to investigate how the absence of glutens elastic properties affected the leavening of each bread.

Objective Test

Results

Control

• Rich orange color with • Slight browning on the outside• Cooked to be very moist and dense

inside• The final product rose to be 5.5 cm

Modification One

90:10 Blend

• Dark brown• Appeared almost “brownie like” • The batter was thicker and heavier

than the control • The cooked product was drier and

crumbly comparatively. • The final product rose to be 4.5 cm

Modification Two

50:50 Blend

• Darkest brown out of all the breads • Chia seeds were very visible • Waxy layer on the outside• Moistest out of all the breads• Middle of the loaf fell immediately

after taking it out of the oven, resulting in no peak

• The final product rose to be 3.5 cm

Modification Three

70:30 Blend

 • Rich dark color similar to

modification one • The product was moist and stayed

together nicely when cooked. • The final product rose to 3.5cm

The most common comments made where

that the breads looked too healthy and did not resemble pumpkin bread.

The only complaint about texture was received by number 686 (90:10 mod 1), which was directed at its crumbliness and dryness.

Results for best taste can be seen on the next table

Subjective Results

Subjective Flavor

Results

Objective Results

The change from the control loaf made with wheat flour to

the modified loaves made with chia and buckwheat proved to be drastic.

Buckwheat is made with the whole groat, and when ground, the groat contributes to the gray color of the flour and the deep brown of the bread.

Other researchers found that the most desirable amount of Buckwheat is 40%. The inclusion of more than 40% in the modified recipes above could be why some of the loaves were scored as dry and crumbly.

Discussion: Buckwheat

By adding Chia to the Buckwheat, a more grainy texture

and appearance formed and this was taken into account when testers scored the breads

In another research study, researchers added 3%, 4%, and 10% chia seed flour to a flour blend and found the most desirable blend was the 10% chia flour.

An almost identical product was made in modification one (90:10) and the subjective test showed that most participants thought this bread was to dry and crumbly.

This difference could be attributed by the extreme moistness provided by the 50% and 30% chia flour additions.

Discussion: Chia Seed

Three edible products were made with varying

degrees of taste, textures, and appearances. Each subjective test participant was able to

identify bread that was satisfying and delicious.

The use of different buckwheat to chia ratios made a quality product.

Conclusion