Reduced carbohydrate gluten-free dough product

Abstract

A reduced carbohydrate dough containing a resistant starch, flour and a non- crosslinked acid-reversible gel-forming compound is described. The dough can be contacted with a divalent cation to produce heat stable dough pieces.

Description

REDUCED CARBOHYDRATE GLUTEN-FREE DOUGH PRODUCTTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to reduced carbohydrate dough products that may be low-gluten or gluten-free.BACKGROUND

[0002] Many individuals are seeking to reduce their carbohydrate and / or “net carb” intake (collectively referred to herein as (“reduced carbohydrate”). “Net carb” commonly refers to the total amount of carbohydrates of a serving of food excluding the total amount of fiber and sugar alcohols in that serving.

[0003] One approach to producing reduced carbohydrate dough products is to utilize a high fiber resistant starch, in combination with a concentrated gluten protein source (e.g., vital wheat gluten) to create a dough product that is similar in texture and taste as a dough formed from traditional wheat flour. Reduced carbohydrate doughs have been used to produce, for example, commercially available breads and tortillas. The resistant starch functions to provide a reduced carbohydrate starch while the gluten protein functions to form a heat stable dough matrix similar to gluten functionality in traditional wheat-based doughs.

[0004] However, consumers that are also seeking or required to avoid gluten in their diets may not be able to consume these reduced carbohydrate products due to the inclusion of gluten. There is a need for reduced carbohydrate dough products that are also low gluten or gluten-free.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] One aspect of the invention is a dough including resistant starch, flour, water and an acid-reversible gel-forming compound. The resistant starch and flour may be gluten-free.

[0006] Another aspect of the invention is a dough piece including up to 50% by weight resistant starch, up to 90% by weight flour, less than 1 % by weight water; and between 1% and 10% by weight of a crosslinked acid-reversible gel-forming compound.

[0007] Yet another aspect of the invention is a method of forming a plurality of dough pieces including the steps of: combining resistant starch, flour, water and acid-reversible gelforming compound in amounts and under conditions suitable to form a dough; shaping the dough into a plurality of pieces; drying the dough pieces; and crosslinking the acid-reversible gel-forming compound.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] It has been discovered, and is disclosed herein, that a reduced carbohydrate dough can be formed from resistant starch (e.g., wheat, tapioca, potato, corn, rice or oat resistant starch), flour (e.g., wheat, tapioca, potato, com, rice or oat flour) and an acid-reversible gel -forming compound (e.g., low methoxy pectin or low ester pectin, or alginate) that is capable of crosslinking with a divalent cation (e.g., Ca2+or Mg2+).

[0009] Notably, it has been discovered that the dough disclosed herein not only has the structural integrity to be formed into dough pieces of a variety of sizes (e.g., rice or noodles), but further maintains structural integrity when contacted with hot water during a traditional cooking process such as boiling or steaming.

[0010] As used herein, the term “reduced carbohydrate” dough or dough product refers to a dough or dough product that has, comparatively, less total carbohydrates or net carbs per serving than a similar dough or dough product using a traditional flour. The term “gluten- free” as applied to dough refers to dough and dough products having less than 20 ppm gluten protein per serving. The term “gluten-free” as applied to dough ingredients refers to ingredients that do not naturally contain gluten or that have been processed to reduce gluten below 20 ppm gluten.

[0011] The resistant starch used to form the dough disclosed may include wheat, tapioca, potato, com, rice and oat resistant starches. Gluten-free resistant starches may include wheat, tapioca, potato, com, rice and oat resistant starches. In one embodiment, the resistant start is a commercially available chemically modified resistant starch such as RS4 starch or a non- chemically modified high amylose RS2 starch. The flour used to form the dough product may include wheat, tapioca, potato, com, rice and oat flour. Exemplary gluten-free flours include tapioca, potato, com, rice and oat flour. In one embodiment, the flour is a pre-gelatinized flour. The resistant starch and flour may be combined in a ratio of up to 1 :1 starch:flour. Less resistant starch (e.g., 0.5: 1 starch:flour) may be utilized with a corresponding impact on carbohydrate reduction.

[0012] The acid-reversible gel-forming compound refers to a compound, such as low methoxy pectin or low ester pectin, or alginate, that is crosslinked to form a gel upon exposure to water and a divalent cation. A non-crosslinked acid-reversible gel -forming compound refers to an acid-reversible gel -forming compound that is capable of being crosslinked in the presence of water and a divalent cation. In one embodiment, an aqueous solution (e.g., 1-10% compound) of the acid-reversible gel-forming compound is combined with resistant starch and flour to form a dough. The acid-reversible gel-forming compound may be present in an amount of 1-10% by weight of a dough product, more particularly about 1-5% by weight. The total amount of water added to the dough should be sufficient to form a dough that, in combination with the resistant starch, flour and non-crosslinked acid-reversible gel-forming compound, forms a dough that can be processed (e.g., extruded, sheeted, and or cut) similar to a traditional dough.

[0013] The dough disclosed herein can be produced by combining the resistant starch, flour, acid-reversible gel-forming compound and water (either separately or in a solution of the acid-reversible gel-forming compound), and optionally heating the resulting combination at a sufficient temperature and time to form a dough. The dough may then be formed into discrete dough pieces of any suitable shape or size (e.g., sheets, pellets, ropes, noodles or the like). In one embodiment the dough ingredients are combined, heated and formed using an extruder (e.g., a single or double screw extruder). In another embodiment, the dough is formed as part of a batch mixing process and is then sheeted and cut. The resulting dough pieces are then dried. In an alternate embodiment in which a pre-gelatinized flour is utilized, the dough can be formed without heating or drying.

[0014] In a particular embodiment, the dough or dough pieces are contacted with a divalent cation to form a dough product. In one embodiment, the divalent cation is a food safe calcium chloride or magnesium chloride solution applied to the dough or dough pieces by, for example, mixing, tumbling or spraying. In an alternate embodiment, the divalent cation is incorporated directly into the dough after heating.

[0015] Dough products produced according to the methods disclosed herein may be included in any amount up to about 75% by weight resistant starch, more particularly from about 10% to 50% by weight resistant starch, up to about 90% by weight flour, more between about 25% and 75% by weight flour, between about 1.0% and 10% by weight non-crosslinked acid- reversible gel-forming compound, more particularly, between about 1.0% and 5% by weight non-crosslinked acid-reversible gel-forming compound and less than about 15% by weight water, more particularly, less than about 10% by weight water. The dough may also include optional ingredient such as fat, sugar salt, flavors or seasonings in total amounts that are generally less than 5% by weight.

[0016] In a specific embodiment, the dough disclosed herein is extruded in the form of dough pieces sized and shaped similar to rice grains. The resulting rice-like dough product can be cooked similar to rice. In this embodiment, the dough pieces may have a length of between 3-15 mm.

[0017] The following examples are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention, and are not meant to be limiting.Example 1 - Extrusion production

[0018] Approximately equal parts gluten-free wheat resistant starch, rice flour and a 6% pectin solution were fed into a double screw extruder and heated to 190 degrees Fahrenheit to form a dough. The dough exited the extruder through a die plate having a plurality of holes comparable in diameter to that of a rice grain to form long ropes that were then cut in approximately the same length as rice grains. The resulting dough pieces were then dried and coated with CaCE powder prior to boiling to form a cooked dough product similar in taste and texture to rice.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A dough comprising: resistant starch; flour; water; and acid-reversible gel-forming compound.

2. The dough of claim 1 wherein the resistant starch and flour are gluten-free.

3. The dough of any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the dough is gluten-free.

4. The dough of claim 1, wherein the resistant starch comprises, wheat, tapioca, rice, corn potato or oat resistant starch.

5. The dough of claim 4, wherein the resistant starch comprises tapioca resistant starch.

6. The dough of any one of claims 1, 2, 4 or 5, wherein the flour comprises wheat, tapioca, rice, corn, potato or oat flour.

7. The dough of claim 6, wherein the flour comprises rice flour.

8. The dough of claim 7, wherein the flour comprises pregelatinized rice flour.

9. The dough of any one of claims 1, 2, 4 or 5, wherein the flour comprises wheat, tapioca, rice, corn, potato or oat flour, and the acid-reversible gel-forming compound comprises pectin.

10. The dough of claim 1, consisting essentially of rice flour, resistant starch, acid-reversible gel-forming compound and less than 5% by weight optional ingredients.11 . A dough piece comprising: up to 50% by weight resistant starch; up to 90% by weight flour; less than 15% by weight water; and between 1% and 10% by weight of a crosslinked acid-reversible gel-forming compound.

12. The dough piece of claim 11, wherein the resistant starch and flour are gluten-free.

13. The dough piece of claims 11 or 12, wherein the dough piece is gluten-free.

14. The dough piece of one of claims 11 or 12, consisting essentially of resistant starch, flour, water, crosslinked acid-reversible gel-forming compound and less than 5% by weight optional ingredients.

15. The dough piece of any of claims 11 or 12, wherein the dough piece has a length between 3-15mm.

16. A method of forming a plurality of dough piece comprising: combining resistant starch, flour, water and acid-reversible gel-forming compound in amounts and under conditions suitable to form a dough; shaping the dough into a plurality of pieces; drying the dough pieces; and crosslinking the acid-reversible gel-forming compound17. The method of claim 16, further comprising heating the combined resistant starch, flour, water and acid-reversible gel-forming compound to form a dough.

18. The method of any one of claims 16 or 17, wherein crosslinking comprises contacting the dough with divalent cations.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein crosslinking comprises contacting the dough with calcium chloride.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein crosslinking comprises mixing the dough pieces with calcium chloride powder.