Gluten — either it’s something wonderful to see in your food, or it’s the bane of your existence. But, with the rise of more gluten intolerances globally, researchers are looking to new solutions to make and enhance gluten-free bread. One solution? Sorghum bran.
Sorghum bran is a low-cost byproduct of sorghum milling, and according to a study from the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), it can enhance gluten-free bread’s nutritional value without compromising its flavor according to a release.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 2 million people in the U.S. have celiac disease and must avoid gluten — in addition, over 20% of U.S. consumers purchase gluten-free products without a medical reason.
Though gluten-free options are on the rise to meet consumers’ medical needs and dietary preferences, the foods can sometimes be deficient in nutrients and lack taste and texture that appeals to consumers. To find solutions for these challenges, USDA ARS researchers studied sumac sorghum bran, classified as a brown tannin-containing variety with antioxidant properties and dietary fiber, as a possible solution to wheat flour.
“In our study, we used optimization models to create a gluten-free bread with enhanced dietary fiber while preserving other desirable bread attributes such as color, texture, and flavor,” said Ryan Ardoin, research food technologist at ARS’s Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research Unit in New Orleans. “This meant finding the optimal amount of sumac sorghum bran to use in the bread to get the nutritional benefits without comprising taste and texture.”
Ardoin and his team — Brennan Smith, Fadi Aramouni and Scott Bean — conducted taste tests to rate different breads with and without the sorghum bran.
“We found that people liked the gluten-free bread that contains 14.2% sumac sorghum bran and would be just as willing to buy this bread,” said Ardoin. “There was no difference in perceived bitterness found between the bread with and without the sorghum bran.
“The potential health benefits provided by tannin-containing sorghum bran in gluten-free foods can benefit consumers who must avoid gluten as well as those seeking other food options,” said Ardoin.
