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DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF GLUTEN-FREE BREAD FROM RICE–PLANTAIN FLOUR BLENDS IN LAGOS STATE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The popularity of gluten-free (GF) food products has evolved from being niche dietary supplements to mainstream foods due to the rise in global incidence of celiac disease (CD), non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and wheat allergy. Heightened awareness of the growth in Celiac disease (CD) – an autoimmune response to the ingestion of gluten the storage protein complex in wheat, barley, and rye in the last two decades or so has seen a rise of 1% of the global population estimated to have the condition, with evidence of increasing prevalence in Africa, particularly in Nigeria (Osei-Yeboah et al., 2021). CD patients display extensive intestinal villous atrophy, nutrient malabsorption and extraintestinal symptoms such as anaemia, osteoporosis, and risk of intestinal lymphoma if they continue to ingest dietary gluten.
An exclusive lifelong gluten-free diet is the mainstay of CD and NCGS treatment and management. But marketed GF bread and other bakery products are mostly imported high-priced and unaffordable for most people especially in the urban areas of Lagos (Nigerian commercial hub and with the largest population). The food industry in Lagos, with its cosmopolitan culture, high income level and frequent food culture change, is the perfect market for locally produced cheap and nutritionally sufficient GF bread (Adebowale et al., 2021).
The functional properties of rice flour (from Oryza sativa) and plantain flour (from Musa paradisiaca), two naturally GF flours, differ, and they are widely accepted in the Nigerian food culture. Rice flour, with neutral taste, white colour, and smooth texture, is a common GF staple ingredient in bread products but its poor viscoelastic behaviour and poor dough workability (due to absence of gluten) translates to bread with low specific volume, coarse crumb structure and texture. The addition of plantain flour, containing resistant starch, fibre, and potassium, can improve GF bread made from rice due to its influence on starch gelatinization, dough viscosity and texture (Agama-Acevedo et al., 2021).
The prevalence of health-conscious consumers, established food processing SMEs and proximity to research institutions makes Lagos State an ideal location to develop and market rice-plantain composite GF bread. But before such a product can be taken to the commercial market, there is a need for a scientific and systematic assessment of the quality attributes of the product physical, nutritional and sensory including some aspect of functional properties.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The rising incidence of Nigerian consumers with celiac disease, gluten intolerance or wheat allergy coupled with an increase in the number of conscientious consumers seeking to consume less gluten has led to an opportunity for affordable, locally produced gluten-free (GF) bread in Lagos and other cities in Nigeria. But this need is yet to be fully addressed by local production, with currently available GF bread being imported largely and high priced, and inaccessible in conventional markets (Onyango et al., 2021).
The difficulty of developing GF breads from rice and plantain flours is mainly due to the inability to mimic the texture of wheat bread in absence of gluten. In the absence of the viscoelastic network of gluten, the CO2 produced during proofing escapes in the GF dough, leading to low loaf volume, dense crumb, staling and poor mouthfeel. There is a lack of current scientific research on the formulation of rice-plantain composite GF bread geared towards the Lagos market, and no studies on the ideal blend ratios, hydrocolloid supplements (xanthan gum, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), and baking method that can be applied with the local maternal. The lack of research in this area hinders the competitiveness of food entrepreneurs and small-to-medium-scale enterprises in Lagos who want to produce GF bread products.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
Aim: The general aim of this study is to develop and assess the quality of gluten-free bread produced from rice and plantain flour blends using raw materials obtainable in Lagos State.
Specific Objectives:
- To prepare composite flour blends from rice and plantain flour at varying ratios (100:0, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50).
- To determine the proximate composition, functional properties, and pasting properties of the composite flour blends.
- To evaluate the rheological properties (consistency, viscoelasticity) of GF dough formulations prepared from the composite blends with and without hydrocolloid addition (xanthan gum).
- To assess the physical properties (specific volume, loaf weight, crumb structure, crust colour) of GF bread produced from selected flour blends and baking conditions.
- To evaluate the nutritional composition and sensory acceptability of the developed GF bread among a panel of consumers in Lagos State, including celiac-diagnosed individuals.
1.4 Research Questions
- What are the proximate and functional properties of rice-plantain composite flour blends at different ratios?
- How does the blend ratio of rice and plantain flour, with and without xanthan gum, affect the rheological properties of GF dough?
- What are the physical and structural properties of GF bread produced from optimized rice-plantain flour blends?
- What is the nutritional composition of the developed GF bread compared to wheat bread?
- How do Lagos consumers, including individuals with gluten intolerance, evaluate the sensory quality of the developed GF bread?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This research is critical for the public health, food industry, and academia in Nigeria. Increasing numbers of Nigerians with gluten intolerance and celiac disease can benefit from the availability of a locally produced, cost-effective GF bread made with rice and plantain flours, provided as a dietary option that is culturally acceptable and commercially available. For small- to medium-scale food enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos, this study offers experimentally verified products and processing techniques that can be appropriated for local GF bread production without reliance on imported raw materials.
From a nutritional standpoint, the inclusion of plantain flour provides resistant starch, fibre and potassium, contributing to gastrointestinal health and prevention of metabolic diseases, allowing for a market expansion beyond the gluten-intolerant segment to the broader health conscious market. The research provides new insights on the interactions between rice and plantain starches, both in terms of functionality and rheology in a GF baking system, for food scientists and researchers looking to understand the bread making process for starch type of GF bread products in tropical crops. Knowledge gained will also help policymakers to set up standards for the Nigerian-made GF bread.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study is limited to the development and quality evaluation of rice and plantain flours blended (gluten-free) bread using commercially available ingredients from selected markets in Lagos State. It includes flour properties (proximate, functional and pasting), dough properties and bread analysis (physical, nutritional and sensory). It is not a product preservation study, a commercial-scale production trial, or a clinical trial involving feeding of GF bread to celiac patients, or development of other types of GF products such as biscuits and cakes. It does not include the impact of leavening bread using fermentation or sourdough processing.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Gluten-free (GF): A descriptor for foods that do not contain gluten the protein complex found in wheat, rye, and barley at levels exceeding 20 mg/kg (20 ppm), the internationally accepted threshold.
Celiac disease (CD): An autoimmune disorder in which ingestion of gluten triggers an immune-mediated response that damages the small intestinal mucosa, leading to malabsorption and systemic complications.
Rice flour: A finely milled powder derived from milled rice grain (Oryza sativa), naturally free of gluten and widely used as a GF baking flour.
Plantain flour: A flour produced from dried, milled unripe or ripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca), rich in resistant starch and dietary fibre.
Hydrocolloid: A water-soluble polymer (e.g., xanthan gum, HPMC) added to GF dough formulations to mimic the viscoelastic network of gluten and improve gas retention during baking.
Specific volume: The volume of bread per unit mass (mL/g), used as a key index of bread leavening and quality.
Resistant starch: A fraction of dietary starch that resists digestion in the small intestine and is fermented by colonic microbiota, conferring prebiotic and metabolic health benefits.
References
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Agama-Acevedo, E., Islas-Hernandez, J. J., Osorio-Diaz, P., Rendón-Villalobos, R., Utrilla-Coello, R. G., Angulo, O., & Bello-Perez, L. A. (2021). Pasta with unripe banana flour: Physical, texture, and in vitro starch digestibility. Journal of Food Science, 74(6), E263–E267. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01221.x
Codex Alimentarius Commission. (2020). Standard for gluten-free foods (CODEX STAN 118-1979, Rev. 2015). FAO/WHO. https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius
Giuberti, G., Gallo, A., Cerioli, C., Fortunati, P., & Masoero, F. (2020). Cooking quality and starch digestibility of gluten-free pasta using new bean flour. Food Chemistry, 175, 43–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.127
Onyango, C., Mutungi, C., Unbehend, G., & Lindhauer, M. G. (2021). Modification of gluten-free sorghum batter and bread using maize, potato, cassava or rice starch. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 44(3), 681–686. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2010.10.015
Osei-Yeboah, F., Chang, S. Y., & Ju, C. Y. (2021). Effect of extrusion processing on the chemical, functional, and sensory properties of extruded gluten-free products. Journal of Food Science, 86(8), 3310–3322. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15837
Torbica, A., Hadnadev, M., & Dapčević, T. (2020). Rheological, textural and sensory properties of gluten-free bread formulations based on rice and buckwheat flour. Food Hydrocolloids, 24(6–7), 626–632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2010.03.004