Formulation of gluten-free biscuits with reduced glycaemic index: Focus on in vitro glucose release, physical and sensory properties

Gluten-free (GF) biscuits based on buckwheat, sorghum and lentil flours were produced in an industrial plant. These flours are very little exploited in commercial products. In addition, since there is growing attention on glycaemic index (GI) of cereal based products. Sucrose replacers, mainly maltitol and inulin, and type 2 resistant starch (RS) were used to substitute sucrose and flours, respectively, in the view of reducing GI of biscuits. Ingredients were used in amounts established on the basis of previous experiments and European Regulations on nutritional claims. This study aimed at the evaluation of the effect of maltitol, inulin and RS on physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of biscuits. In particular, glucose released by sucrose and starch hydrolysis during invitro digestion was placed under the spotlight. The use of sucrose contributed to the reduction of in vitro glucose release and consequently of predicted glycaemic index (pGI) with values decreasing from 84 to 67. Despite some slight differences in the sensory profile of the biscuits, reformulated products had a reduced friability and sweetness, and increased adhesiveness and nuts odour, all the formulations scored well above the threshold of acceptability (from 6.5 to 7.6) by consumers used to eat biscuits made with alternate flours.