Bread made with chickpea flour could help to make gluten-free breads more acceptable, according to new research.

The study – published in the Journal of Cereal Science – investigated the effects of four different legume flours on the characteristics of gluten-free bread formulations.

Led by Dr Marta Capellas from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, the researchers tested four gluten-free bread formulations made from different legumes (chickpea flour, pea isolate, carob germ flour or soya flour) with the intention of creating a gluten-free bread with soya protein substituted for other legume proteins.

Dr Capellas and her colleagues found bread baked with chickpea flour to have the best potential for baking gluten-free bread without soya protein.

“Chickpea bread exhibited the best physico-chemical characteristics and, in general, good sensory behaviour, indicating it could be a promising alternative to soya protein,” Dr Capallas said.

The team explained many current gluten-free formulations utilise soya protein flour to produce bread products with good baking and sensory characteristics, however the use of soy may not me ideal due to the high risk of allergy.

“The high allergenicity of soya and hellip are leading to more research into alternative protein sources which may be able to provide gas-holding capacity and bake development,” the research team said.