Development of gluten-free and low glycemic index rice pancake: Impact of dietary fiber and low-calorie sweeteners on texture profile, sensory properties, and glycemic index

Abstract Celiac disease is considered an uncommon digestive disorder induced by gluten protein. The consumption of a gluten-free diet is the primary treatment for this disease. Rice flour has been applied in various gluten-free products. Resistant maltodextrin is a soluble dietary fiber with various physiological properties. This study aimed to investigate the potential of dietary fiber and low-calorie sweeteners on the development of gluten-free low-glycemic-index pancakes. The partial substitution of resistant maltodextrin for Jasmine or Sangyod rice flours and partial substitution of low-calorie sweeteners (stevioside/sucralose) for sucrose were performed and characterized for physicochemical characteristics, in vitro glycemic index, and consumer acceptance for the development of low-glycemic index and gluten-free rice pancakes. Resistant maltodextrin not only reduced glycemic index, but also promoted a soft texture in the rice pancakes by reducing the hardness of pancake samples. For pancake preparation, Jasmine rice flour was preferable with an overall liking score between 5.7 and 6.2. Partial substitution of 25 percent sucralose for bakery sugar, together with partial substitution of 10 percent resistant maltodextrin, provided the low-glycemic index pancake (51.9 ± 1.4 and 49.3 ± 1.7 for both Jasmine and Sangyod rice flour, respectively) and the panelists also assigned a higher overall acceptability score to the pancake prepared with this formula compared to the original formula. In terms of the nutritional profile, partial replacement of Jasmine rice flour and bakery sugar by resistant maltodextrin and sucralose (respectively) decreased the carbohydrate and energy of pancake by 7.34 g and 9.79 kcal, respectively.