Background: Starches and hydrocolloids are commonly used in gluten-free sorghum bread formulations to mimic wheat gluten functionality. The effect of different starches and hydrocolloids on the sensory profile and quality of gluten-free sorghum bread is unknown. In this research, a lexicon for chemically leavened gluten-free sorghum bread was developed and used to evaluate the sensory profile of sorghum bread made with potato starch plus xanthan gum, rice starch plus xanthan gum and tapioca starch plus hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC).
Results: A lexicon containing 28 attributes and references for appearance, aroma, flavor and texture/mouthfeel was developed by a panel highly trained in descriptive sensory analysis. The results obtained using sensory analysis and objective testing techniques showed that chemically leavened gluten-free sorghum bread containing rice starch plus xanthan gum or tapioca starch plus HPMC had a significantly better appearance while bread containing potato starch plus xanthan gum or rice starch plus xanthan gum had a significantly better texture/mouthfeel.
Conclusion: The combination of rice starch and xanthan gum resulted in chemically leavened gluten-free sorghum bread with better crumb appearance and texture/mouthfeel properties than bread made with potato starch plus xanthan gum or tapioca starch plus HPMC. Xanthan gum significantly increased the dietary fiber content of chemically leavened gluten-free sorghum bread.
Keywords: descriptive sensory analysis; gluten-free bread; sorghum; sorghum bread; starch-hydrocolloid interaction.