Western Foods specializes in gluten and allergen-free rice flours, ancient grain milling, blending, packaging and distribution for the B2B and the B2C market segments.
White Rice flour is often used as a healthier alternative to wheat flour because it is easier to digest and richer in fiber. However, because it is gluten-free, it is not able to produce the same quality and variety of products as seen in wheat flour breads and other products. It is a popular substitute for wheat flour with the addition of other flours, starches, gums, and enzymes to help mimic a gluten matrix.
Brown rice flour is gluten-free, so it can replace wheat or other gluten containing flours such as amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, quinoa, sorghum or teff. Successful baking with brown rice flour composites requires incorporation of starches and gums to strengthen the dough network.
In gluten-free baking, pre-gelatinized rice flour can increase baked product volume by increasing dough viscoelasticity. Studies indicate that it acts as a binder that improves the dough capacity to retain water, thus increasing viscosity and helping to retain gas cells within the gluten free system. In cake applications, the batters need to be sufficiently viscous to trap the air bubbles during mixing and baking in order to produce a voluminous and fluffy texture.4 Pre-gelatinized rice flour can help do this.
Rice flour is neutral when it comes to taste and color. While the addition of transglutaminase or hydrocolloids is important when using it in products that need higher volume or water absorption, rice flour does bring good gelling capabilities to the table. It’s ideal for:
Chickpea flour won’t alter the flavor dramatically but will seriously boost the nutritional value, a boon for finicky eaters.