# Enhancing Gluten-Free Bread Quality with Whole-Grain Pearl Millet Flour: A Physicochemical and Sensory Approach

## TL;DR

This study shows that adding whole-grain pearl millet flour improves the nutrition of gluten-free bread without hurting its texture or consumer appeal.

## Contribution

The study introduces a method to enhance gluten-free bread with whole-grain pearl millet flour, improving fiber and protein content while maintaining sensory qualities.

## Key findings

- Adding 30% pearl millet flour increased dietary fiber by 4.9% and protein by 2.2%.
- Bread specific volume remained at 2.56 g/cm³, comparable to commercial gluten-free bread.
- Consumer preferences split into two groups based on pearl millet flour levels.

## Abstract

(1) Background: Starch-based breads can closely mimic wheat bread in texture and appearance; however, their nutritional value must be improved while maintaining their inherent bread-like characteristics. The objective of this study was to incorporate whole-grain pearl millet flour (PMF) into a starch-based bread formulation to enhance its dietary fiber and protein content. (2) Methods: The PMF was obtained using a combination of laboratory rollers and hammer mills, as well as appropriate sieves to obtain a particle size ≤ 250 µm. The incorporation of PMF affected the properties of the base flour (BF), dough, and gluten-free bread (GFB). (3) Results: In the BF, setback viscosity was significantly reduced from 6379 to 1354 mPa·s. Similarly, in the freshly kneaded dough, both the elastic and viscous moduli decreased, from 168.3 to 17.8 kPa and from 36.3 to 4.3 kPa, respectively. During fermentation, dough-specific volume increased from 0.76 to 1.73 cm3/g. In the GFB, the moisture content decreased from 47.9 to 42.2%, bread specific volume varied from 2.13 to 2.68 cm3/g, and crumb hardness increased from 12.8 to 25.3 N. PMF incorporation segmented bread consumers into two preference-based clusters, characterized by lower (1) and higher (2) PMF levels. (4) Conclusions: Incorporating 30% PMF increased the fiber and protein contents of the starch-based bread by 4.9% and 2.2%, respectively, without compromising specific volume (2.56 g/cm3) or overall acceptance, which remained comparable to that of a commercial gluten-free bread (7.30 and 6.32 for clusters (1) and (2), respectively).