Effect of organic calcium supplements on the technological characteristic and sensory properties of gluten-free bread

In the present study, the effect of individual and combined addition of two organic calcium supplements, calcium caseinate and calcium citrate to the gluten-free formulation on selected technological parameters, calcium content and sensory quality of bread was evaluated. Standard technological tests and texture analysis were performed on the gluten-free control and gluten-free breads fortified with calcium. Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was used to determine differences in the sensory characteristics of the breads. Calcium citrate demonstrated the ability to increase significantly the specific volume of the breads (p < 0.05). Application of both calcium salts produced fine-coloured bread crust. Significant enrichment in calcium (p < 0.05) was obtained in gluten-free breads fortified with high amount of calcium citrate. Experimental breads, regardless the kind of calcium salt added, were rather crumbly. However, in comparison with unfortified control, the crumbs of calcium-fortified breads were softer and more elastic. Palatability of gluten-free breads supplemented with calcium was significantly higher than those of unfortified control (p ≤ 0.05). The desirable sensory attributes for the consumers such as the sweet odour, butterbread odour, butterbread taste as well as springiness of breads increased with the increasing addition of calcium caseinate and calcium citrate. Summarising, analysed technological properties, calcium content and sensory characteristic of experimental gluten-free breads were favourably modified by applied organic calcium salts. It suggests that they could be successfully used in gluten-free recipes allowing to obtain good-quality product.