Effect of quinoa, chia and millet addition on consumer acceptability of gluten-free bread

There is an increasing demand for gluten-free foods; however, standard gluten-free foods are deficient in nutrients. This study investigated the use of alternative grains (chia, millet and quinoa) in gluten-free breads to evaluate their sensory properties (fresh and following a partial bake method). A sensory trial (n = 98) asked participants to consider six fresh bread samples made from chia, millet and quinoa, using 9-point hedonic scales and check-all-that-apply. A second sensory trial (n = 89) was then completed using par-baked bread samples of the different formulations. The sensory properties and the acceptability of the bread were significantly affected by the chia and quinoa flour. The millet flour did not change the acceptability of the bread. Furthermore, the partial baking method (after 90 days of frozen storage) did not significantly affect the acceptability of the breads made with chia, millet and quinoa, but it did affect the acceptability of the control bread prepared with brown rice flour. Overall, millet flour could be incorporated into gluten-free breads made following a partial baking method without affecting consumer acceptability. Future studies should use a trained panel to evaluate how the breads differ based on the partial baking method.