Improving gluten-free baked goods – How transglutaminase, proteins and fibres help to improve texture, volume and shelf lifeNews 01.07.202623.06.2026 Demand for gluten-free baked goods has been growing for years. Consumers now expect gluten-free bread, bread rolls, cakes and pastries that taste great, have a pleasant texture and still look fresh even after several days. However, this is precisely where one of the greatest technological challenges lies. Without gluten, the natural structural network that provides elasticity, volume, gas retention and a stable crumb in traditional baked goods is missing. For manufacturers, product developers and ingredient suppliers, the key question is therefore: how can gluten-free baked goods be technologically optimised without making the recipe unnecessarily complicated? Functional proteins, fibre systems and enzymes such as transglutaminase play an important role here, as they can be specifically used to improve structure, volume and shelf life. Why gluten-free baked goods are technically challenging Gluten-free recipes are often based on ingredients such as: Rice flour Maize flour Millet flour Buckwheat flour Oat flour Potato starch Tapioca starch However, these raw materials do not possess the functional properties of wheat flour. Typical problems include: dry or crumbly crumb low volume poor dough stability reduced elasticity rapid drying out short shelf life in terms of sensory quality inconsistent product quality In industrial production in particular, gluten-free doughs are significantly more sensitive to changes in water content, mixing time, fermentation or the baking process. For this reason, gluten-free systems often require additional functional ingredients to specifically compensate for any missing structural properties. What functions does gluten typically perform? Gluten is formed from the wheat proteins gliadin and glutenin. During the dough-making process, an elastic protein network forms, which is responsible for many of the characteristics of traditional baked goods. Among other things, gluten ensures: Elasticity of the dough Gas retention during proofing Volume development Stable crumb structure Better shelf life Less crumbly If this network is not available, other components and technologies must take over these functions. Why protein content is crucial for structure A key difference between recipes containing gluten and many gluten-free recipes lies in their protein content. Many gluten-free products are based predominantly on starch sources such as rice, maize or potato starch. Whilst these provide structural mass, they contribute only to a limited extent to the formation of stable networks. The amount of protein available plays a crucial role, particularly when using transglutaminase. The enzyme can only act where sufficient reactive proteins are present. Formulations containing additional protein sources therefore often show significantly stronger effects than purely starch-based systems. Which sources of protein are suitable for gluten-free baked goods? Various protein sources are suitable for gluten-free applications. Source of proteinGluten-freeAllergen statusPea proteinYesNot a major allergenPotato proteinYesNot a major allergenRice proteinYesNot a major allergenSoya proteinYesSoya allergenWhey proteinYesMilk allergen Pea protein, in particular, is becoming increasingly important in many new product developments. As well as having a favourable allergen profile, it offers interesting functional properties for the structural composition of gluten-free baked goods. What role does transglutaminase play in gluten-free baked goods? Transglutaminase is an enzyme that can selectively cross-link proteins. This results in more stable protein structures, which can help to compensate for the lack of a network structure in gluten-free recipes. Possible benefits include: a more elastic crumb better sliceability reduced crumbling a more stable dough structure improved volume a more even crumb structure greater process reliability Transglutaminase is particularly interesting when combined with additional protein sources such as pea protein or potato protein. Lessons learnt from the development of gluten-free systems Our research and development work consistently shows that the effect of transglutaminase depends heavily on the protein source used and its quality. Even variations in protein quality within the same raw material can lead to significantly different results. Factors influencing this include, amongst others: Purity Particle size Solubility Manufacturing process Thermal pre-treatment Higher-quality proteins, in particular, often respond better to transglutaminase, as the enzyme has more surface area available for the cross-linking reaction. For this reason, development trials should not be limited to testing different enzyme dosages. It is often worthwhile simply comparing different protein qualities. How can volume and crumb structure be improved? A common problem with gluten-free loaves and rolls is their low volume. Without a stable protein network, the gases produced during proofing are less likely to be retained within the dough. By combining: functional proteins transglutaminase fibre systems hydrocolloids the stability of the dough matrix can be improved. Possible effects include: greater volume of baked goods more uniform texture firmer crumb less shrinkage after baking more consistent product quality Why fibre plays an important role As well as proteins, fibre plays an important role in gluten-free recipes. It can: bind water influence the viscosity of the dough help keep the product fresh improve the mouthfeel increase the fibre content When combined with proteins and transglutaminase, the resulting systems are often significantly more stable than those produced by using the individual components alone. Improving freshness – what is realistic? A common requirement for gluten-free baked goods is a longer shelf life. It is important to distinguish between microbiological shelf life and sensory freshness. Transglutaminase does not extend the microbiological shelf life of a product. However, by improving the protein structure and water distribution, it is often possible to achieve: longer-lasting softness of the crumb reduced drying out a more consistent mouthfeel better product quality during storage As a result, the product often retains its fresh appearance for longer in the eyes of the consumer. Quality control and allergen management When it comes to gluten-free products, quality assurance and allergen management play a key role alongside the technology involved. Key points include: Raw material specifications Allergen status Prevention of cross-contamination Dosing accuracy Process control Sensory tests Storage stability When it comes to gluten-free products in particular, consumers and retailers expect a particularly high level of product safety and consistent quality. Conclusion: Optimising gluten-free baked goods in a targeted manner Gluten-free baked goods place high demands on recipe development and production. As the natural gluten network is absent, structure, elasticity and water-binding capacity must be achieved by other means. The following combination is particularly promising: functional proteins fibre systems optimised process control transglutaminase This makes it possible to develop gluten-free loaves, rolls and baked goods that come much closer to traditional baked goods in terms of texture, volume and shelf life. Contact and sample enquiries Would you like to improve the texture, shelf life or volume of your gluten-free baked goods? Our application engineering team can help you select suitable transglutaminase systems, functional proteins and fibre systems for your specific application. Request a sample or speak to our experts.
