Gluten free breads using rice flour and hydrocolloid gums

Breads made from non-wheat flours often have poor crust and crumb characteristics and the current study aimed to overcome this problem. Loaf breads made with rice flour and potato starch and breads made with wheat/rice mixtures, with the addition of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), guar gum and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), were compared with wheat flour loaf controls for loaf volume, texture and crust and crumb colour. HPMC had the most favourable effect on bread qualities; CMC had little effect while guar gum had no effect. The combination of HPMC and CMC showed the most potential and gave a dough with the viscosity necessary to trap fermented gases, and also to develop a rigid but porous cell structure and good loaf volume.