Gluten-free bread added with babassu ( Orbignya phalerata )mesocarp flour: physical, chemical and sensorial evaluation

ABSTRACT The acceptance of a gluten-free diet as in the case of celiac disease is not easy due to the food monotony, among others. On the other hand, the potential of use of babassu mesocarp flour (BMF) as human food is high. The present work evaluated the physical, chemical and sensorial properties of a gluten-free bread added of different percentages (F0 - control, F1 - 5% and F2 - 10%) of BMF. In the physical evaluation, the values of mass and diameter before and after baking, height, apparent volume, specific volume, expansion factor and heat factor were determined. The chemical evaluation was carried out in accordance with the official methods. In the sensorial evaluation, 50 untrained panelists of both sexes performed the affective sensory test of 9- point hedonic scale. Acceptability of samples was evaluated for the attributes general appearance, color, aroma, flavor and texture. The formulation F1 presented the best results, showing values of diameter before and after baking between F0 and F2 and the highest values of height, apparent volume, and specific volume. The BMF also improved the nutritional value of the breads, increasing the soluble fibers content and decreasing total carbohydrates. It still significantly increased the minerals content of F2. The pH of the samples was significantly different. However, the acid value of all formulations was acceptable. The sensory evaluation showed that the formulations added of BMF were well accepted by the panelists in all evaluated attributes. Therefore, the BMF showed to be a promising alternative for the development and enrichment of gluten-free breads.