Gluten and Gluten-Free Products Overview

Tailored Food for Consumers with Diseases

  • Focus: Gluten free products

  • Institution: Berner Fachhochschule | Haute école spécialisée bernoise | Bern University of Applied Sciences

Overview of Gluten

  • Components of Gluten:

    • Gliadin

    • Glutenin

  • Functions of Gluten:

    • Water-binding: Helps starch gelatinization during baking.

    • Visco-elastic properties: Facilitates gas retention during fermentation.

Gluten-Free Grains

  • Grains containing Gluten (to avoid):

    • Wheat

    • Barley

    • Rye

Agenda Items

  • Who needs gluten-free products?

  • How is gluten tested?

  • Gluten-free bread: Overview

  • Gluten-free beer: Overview

  • Enzymatic treatments: Discussion

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to:

    • Describe how gluten is tested in products.

    • Enumerate the problems associated with gluten-free doughs.

    • Specify approaches to improve gluten-free bread processing.

    • Recommend possible enzyme applications and discuss their consequences.

Consumer Insights

  • Statistics on Gluten-free Consumers:

    • 82% of consumers who eat gluten-free foods have not been diagnosed with gluten-related disorders.

    • 44% consume gluten-free foods for reasons other than gluten intolerance or sensitivity.

    • Source: Scientific Literature - Lammers et al. (2018)

Celiac Disease

  • Description:

    • Autoimmune reaction affecting not just the gastrointestinal tract but various organs.

    • Can cause inflammation of intestinal epithelial cells leading to malabsorption.

    • Treatment: Complete avoidance of gluten.

  • Symptoms:

    • Infancy (0-2 years): Vomiting, bloating, irritability, poor growth, foul-smelling diarrhea, malnutrition, etc.

    • Childhood: Stomach aches, abdominal pain, distention, diarrhea, constipation, trouble gaining weight, weight loss, etc.

    • Adulthood: Diarrhea or constipation, anemia, aphthous ulcers, sore tongue and mouth.

    • Source: Celiac Foundation, Accessed: 08.03.2023

Gluten-Free Food Market

  • Global Market Value:

    • Growth from 2022 to 2032 projected (billions of U.S. dollars).

    • Source: Statista, accessed 09.03.2023

Ingredients in Commercial Gluten-Free Bread

  • Composition: Modified tapioca starch, water, corn starch, potato starch, buckwheat flour (8%), rice flour, rice syrup, sunflower oil, dried sourdough (3.5% with buckwheat, quinoa), psyllium husk, table salt, yeast, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (thickening agent), gluten-free barley malt extract, calcium acetate (acidity regulator).

    • Source: Arendt et al. (2008)

Conclusions on Nutritional Aspects

  • Key Findings:

    • Individuals with celiac disease are prone to nutritional deficiencies.

    • Gluten-free diets can lead to suboptimal nutrient intake and inefficient absorption.

    • Gluten-free bread differs nutritionally from gluten-containing bread, often high in fat.

    • Potential benefit of further fortification of gluten-free foods.

    • Micronutrient deficiencies may be overlooked in patients.

Gluten Testing Standards

  • Clinical Sensitivity:

    • Varies among patients.

  • Codex Alimentarius Standards:

    • Gluten-free foods must have gluten levels not exceeding 20 mg/kg in total (Codex Alimentarius, 2008).

Gluten Detection Methods

  • R5 Antibody-Based ELISA:

    • The only FDA approved method for gluten detection in food products, applicable for both heated and unheated food.

    • Major Drawback: Tends to overestimate barley hordein content in barley-contaminated foods.

  • ELISA Methodology Steps:

    1. Coat antibody on the bottom of a microtiter plate.

    2. Add sample, incubate.

    3. Add detection antibody.

    4. Add enzyme-linked antibody.

    5. Add substrate for enzyme leading to a detectable reaction product.

Alternative ELISA Types

  • Competitive ELISA:

    • Used to detect hydrolyzed gluten fragments (especially in beer).

    • Interpretation: Higher color intensity corresponds to lower gluten concentration.

  • Indirect ELISA:

    • Tests for celiac disease (High color intensity indicates high tTG-IgA concentration).

Visualization of Gluten Detection

  • Comparison of gluten fragments in different foods:

    • Wheat, rye, barley, and gluten-free oats were evaluated for gluten content through competitive ELISA.

Gluten-Free Bread vs Wheat Bread Structure

  • **Comparison of dough and crumb structures:

    • Wheat Flour:

    • Forms a strong gluten network upon mixing with water leading to a certain baking quality.

    • Gluten-Free Flour:

    • Produces a less organized protein network, affecting texture and quality of bread.