Adjustment of dough hydration to achieve standardised volume in gluten-free breads

Abstract

Although research on gluten-free breads has expanded considerably over the past decades, quality control of gluten-free flours and doughs remains challenging, and variability in loaf volume have yet to be effectively minimised. In studies on wheat breads, dough hydration is commonly adjusted to reduce the influence of dough consistency on specific loaf volume, thereby eliminating confounding effects on quality attributes such as texture and staling. However, this practice is seldom applied in gluten-free bread research. In the present study, the farinograph was proposed as a tool for both the quality assessment of flours and doughs and for adjusting formulations according to flour characteristics, with the aim of improving the consistency of loaf volume. Seven commercially available rice flours and one control were evaluated. Water absorption capacity, particle size distribution, and pasting properties were measured to assess flour heterogeneity. Both the flours and their corresponding doughs were analyzed using the farinograph, and baking trials were conducted at constant and adjusted hydration levels. Farinograph parameters proved to be reliable predictors of bread volume, showing significant correlations at the 95 % and 99 % confidence levels. Adjustment of hydration based on farinograph data successfully reduced mean volume differences from 21 % to 3 %. This methodology may enhance research on gluten-free breads. It helps mitigatethe influence of variations in dough consistency and loaf volume on other bread quality attributes.