On the lookout for gluten alternatives during Gluten Free Community Week
11 May 2020 --- Gluten-free consumer demand, research and industry innovation are being highlighted during Coeliac UK’s Gluten Free Community Week hosted May 11-17. Although the food and nutrition industry is eager to deliver on consumer demand for gluten-free products, removing gluten from certain grain-based foods compromises their nutritional profiles, necessitating research into alternative solutions.
Gluten is a group of proteins that naturally occur in some cereal grains and provides structure and texture to many foods, such as pasta, pizza, bread and cake. Janin Zippel, Marketing Manager Bakery, Europe, at Ingredion, tells NutritionInsight that removing gluten can clash with consumer expectations for gluten-free grain-alternatives while still performing in terms of texture, taste and nutritional demands, such as “high protein.”
Ingredion is continually looking to identify new ingredient bases, primarily from plant-based sources, that offer the same functionality as products with gluten. “For example, fava bean flour can improve color and browning in gluten-free baked goods, pasta and snacks. Pulse flours, which are naturally gluten-free, can also be utilized by manufacturers wanting to create gluten-free products as they are high in dietary fiber, rich in minerals and a source of B vitamins and folic acid,” she elaborates. 
Ingredion is continually looking to identify new ingredient bases that offer the same functionality as products with gluten.Zippel also notes that manufacturers sometimes add in fat, sugar or other additives to achieve a texture profile in a gluten-free recipe similar to that of wheat bread. “These ingredients do not meet the same nutritional value of wheat flour, therefore affecting the overall balance of the product,” she continues. “This is where formulation and sensory expertise in other ingredients such as plant-based proteins and flours can help, providing alternative solutions to build back texture with ingredients that have more positive nutritional make-up.”
Gluten-free community
Spotlighting the needs of people who have celiac disease, Coeliac UK is offering an online catering course for private and public sector caterers on the needs of gluten-free diets. The course provides in-depth training on choosing the right ingredients and gluten-free storage, preparing and cooking gluten-free food as well as monitoring gluten-free procedures.
“Research shows that people with celiac disease, as well as the family and friends they eat out with, are currently worth a potential £100 million (US$123 million) a year to venues that can cater to them. It’s a great time to do it now, so when everything opens you can hit the ground running offering great food to all your customers,” says MasterChef Champion and Coeliac UK Ambassador Jane Devonshire, who is hosting the cooking class.
Last month, NutritionInsight reported that Coeliac UK is struggling to secure government funds throughout the global pandemic. Its services, such as information sharing and government lobbying for better provision of gluten-free food, remain essential for people suffering from celiac disease.
Coeliac disease is not an allergy or an intolerance but an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system damages the lining of the small bowel when gluten is eaten. There is no cure and no medication – the only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life.
By Anni Schleicher, with additional reporting by Elizabeth Green
