Formulation of gluten free biscuits with underexploited flours: focus on glycaemic index

In recent years, many progresses have been made in the production of gluten free baked goods. In the past, the main and only goal of gluten free producers was to ensure the safety of consumption to celiac consumers without any attention to nutritional and sensory quality. Albeit to date, more attention is paid to them, the quality of gluten free products is in the spotlight. Efforts from research and industries are required to offer gluten free products with improved nutritional and sensory properties. It has indeed been seen that gluten free diet often presents nutritional deficiencies and high intake of some nutrients; in addition, the products often have impaired sensory properties compared to their gluten containing counterparts. Currently glycaemic index of food products is a topic of rising interest in food technology and nutrition science. It has been reported that a high glycaemic diet increases metabolic risk factors. This topic is awfully relevant also for consumers constrained to follow a gluten free diet. Food specifically formulated for celiacs generally have a higher glycaemic index, due to their richness in rapidly digestible starch. In addition, an association between celiac disease and type I diabetes has been recognised. Hence, it is important for celiacs to maintain the glycaemic control whilst following a gluten free diet. Biscuits represent one of the favourite carbohydrate source for celiacs. Flour, sugar and fat are the main ingredients constituting biscuits. Rice and maize flour and their starches are widely employed in gluten free biscuits. Hence, due to their starch rich composition and the presence of sugars, gluten free biscuits are generally medium or high glycaemic index foods. The employ of flours with a higher amount of slowly digestible starch, resistant starch, phenolic compounds together with sugar replacers and fibres could contribute to the reduction of the glycaemic index of gluten free biscuits. Taking into consideration the production activities carried out by the industrial partner, biscuit factory Di Leo Pietro spa, and the aforementioned premises, the general objective of the following doctoral thesis is the development of low glycemic index gluten free biscuits through the employ of flours that are little exploited in commercial biscuits.