Effect of stabilized wholegrain maize flours on the quality characteristics of gluten-free layer cakes

Abstract

Gluten-free diets are characterized by being deficient in dietary fibre and minerals. The use of rice or maize wholegrain flours is complicated due to the presence of lipids that cause rancidity in a short period of time. The aim of the work was to make layer cakes using wholegrain maize flours stabilized by different extrusion processes to evaluate their effect on the final quality of the cakes. The viscosity and density of the batter, and specific volume, texture, colour and acceptability of cakes were measured. Extruded wholegrain flours decreased the specific volume (up to 17% less) of cakes and increased hardness (approximately double) compared to the Control and the non-extruded wholegrain cakes. However, cakes made with extruded wholegrain flours obtained better acceptability scores than those made with untreated wholegrain flour (6.04 vs 6.72). The stabilization treatments also reduced the differences in the colour of the cakes between the treatments and the Control. Among the types of stabilized flours, those stabilized at lower temperatures had a batter viscosity and specific volume more similar to those of the Control.