Gluten-Free Dough Formulation for Sheetable Texture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current gluten-free bakery products have a dense and crumbly texture, poor mouthfeel, and unappealing appearance due to low cohesiveness and elasticity, making them difficult to manufacture using traditional processing methods, and most existing products are batter-based, which is not suitable for commercial production.
Innovation Solution
A gluten-free dough formulation that includes gluten-free flours, modified starches, leavening agents, gums, proteins, emulsifiers, and optional ingredients, which can be formed into a non-sticky dough suitable for sheeting and pressing, allowing for the use of conventional equipment in manufacturing, and can be frozen for later use, resulting in products with texture and appearance similar to those made from traditional wheat flour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gluten-free flour is used to make bakery products, then the products are suitable for celiac patients, but the texture becomes dense and crumbly with poor cohesiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines gluten-free flour with hydrocolloids (xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, or locust bean gum) to create a composite material system. The hydrocolloids form a gel network that compensates for the lack of gluten protein, providing the necessary cohesiveness, elasticity, and gas retention properties while maintaining gluten-free status for celiac patients.
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrocolloids act as intermediary substances that bridge the functional gap left by absent gluten. These gums and starches mediate the dough's rheological properties, providing viscoelasticity and structure formation without containing gluten, thus resolving the contradiction between dietary requirements and textural quality.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional processing methods are used for gluten-free products, then manufacturing is simplified, but the dough is too sticky and problematic for sheeting and pressing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the dough's physical-chemical parameters by incorporating hydrocolloids that alter its rheological properties. This changes the dough's stickiness and adhesion characteristics, making it suitable for conventional sheeting and pressing operations while maintaining ease of manufacture through standard equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrocolloid addition creates localized functional improvements in the dough matrix, specifically enhancing surface properties and internal cohesion in areas critical for processing. This allows traditional equipment to handle the dough effectively without requiring complete process redesign.
3Device complexity
If gluten-free dough is made without hydrocolloids, then the formulation is simpler, but the dough has poor gas retention and low extensibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite dough system where hydrocolloids form a gel network that works synergistically with gluten-free flour. This composite structure provides the necessary gas retention and extensibility properties that simple gluten-free flour formulations cannot achieve alone, while the specific selection of hydrocolloids allows for optimized performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrocolloids perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide gas retention, improve extensibility, enhance cohesiveness, and enable proper dough handling. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by adding a single ingredient class that addresses multiple performance deficiencies in gluten-free dough.
4Adaptability or versatility
If commercial gluten-free bakery products are produced, then celiac patients have food options, but the products have unappealing appearance and short shelf life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite formulations combining gluten-free flour with specific hydrocolloids that not only improve immediate dough properties but also enhance product stability during storage. The gel network formed by hydrocolloids maintains structural integrity and appearance quality over extended shelf life, addressing both dietary needs and commercial viability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The gluten-free dough formulation produces baked products with improved cohesiveness and texture, allowing for commercial-scale production of products like pizza crust and bread with a crispy exterior and soft interior, similar to traditional bakery products, while maintaining nutritional balance and extended storage capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The dough is made from gluten-free flour, modified starch, leavening agents, gums, and combinations of these ingredients
Implementation Method 2
The formulations of the present invention comprise gluten-free flour and modified starch
Implementation Method 3
The formulations also comprise leavening agents (yeast and/or chemical leavening agents)
Implementation Method 4
The dough can be directly frozen to make a frozen dough
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are gluten-free compositions which can be made into a dough. The gluten-free dough can be subjected to a sheeting or pressing process and therefore can be prepared easily in commercial settings. The dough comprises gluten-free flour, modified starch, protein, leavening agents; oil and water.