A comparison of sensory properties of artisanal style and industrially processed gluten free breads

The consumption of gluten free foods is increasing in today’s society and consumers are demanding more from their gluten free products. Consumers are also looking for local alternatives to conventionally produced foods. This study compares the sensory aspects of industrially processed gluten free bread and locally produced, artisanal gluten free bread. Three breads were purchased from grocery stores and three from local bakeries. Global Napping® and ultra flash profiling were used to identify the overall differences between the two different categories of gluten free breads. Partial Napping® and ultra flash profiling were also used to determine if there were any differences between flavor and texture of the breads. Twelve panelists, who regularly consume bread, evaluated all six of the bread samples. Both methods indicated that there are many differences between the industrially processed and artisanal gluten free breads. The main differences being artisanal breads were associated with a wide array of flavors and a dry texture, while the industrially processed breads were found to be bland in flavor and moist. Overall, the artisanal gluten free breads were associated with more negative characteristics than that of industrially processed breads.