Production of the prolyl endoprotease (PEP) from Aspergillus sp. FSDE 16 by solid-state fermentation (SSF) and use for producing a gluten-free beer.

Beer is a beverage that contains gluten and cannot be consumed by people with celiac disease. In this context, the enzyme prolyl endoprotease (PEP) can be used to reduce the gluten content in beer. The present study aimed to produce the PEP from Aspergillus sp. FSDE 16 using solid-state fermentation with 5 conditions and comparing with a similar commercial enzyme produced from Aspergillus niger in the production of a gluten-free beer. The results of the performed cultures showed that during the culture, the most increased protease activity (54.46 U/mL) occurred on the 4th day. In contrast, for PEP, the highest activity (0.0356 U/mL) was obtained on the 3rd day of culture in condition. Regarding beer production, cell growth, pH, and total soluble solids showed similar behavior over the 7 days for beers produced without enzyme addition or with the addition of commercial enzyme and with the addition of the enzyme extract produced. The addition of the enzyme and the enzyme extract did not promote changes, and all the beers produced showed similar and satisfactory results, with acid pH between 4 and 5, total soluble solids ranging from 4.80 to 5.05, alcohol content ranging from 2.83% to 3.08%, and all beers having a dark character with deep amber and light copper color. Gluten removal was effectively using the commercial enzyme and the enzyme produced according to condition (v) reaching gluten concentrations equal to 17 ± 5.31 and 21.19 ± 11.28 ppm, respectively. In this way, the production of the enzyme by SSF and its application in the removal of gluten in beer was efficient.

Proteins from Blackberry Seeds: Extraction, Osborne Isolate, Characteristics, Functional Properties, and Bioactivities.

Blackberry fruit contains high levels of nutrients and phenolic compounds. Blackberry pomace accounts for 20~30% of its whole fruit during processing and is generally treated as fertilizer. Blackberry pomace has many seeds that contain carbohydrates, polyphenols, flavonoids, pectin, protein, and other bioactive nutrients. However, its functional properties and seed protein compositions have not been reported. We used a single-factor experiment, response surface, and Osborne isolate method to extract protein isolate, albumin, globulin, glutelin, and prolamin from blackberry seeds for the first time and evaluated their characteristics and functional properties. Glutelin and protein isolate showed good water-holding capacity, emulsification, and foaming capacity, while albumin and globulin showed good oil-holding capacity and thermal stability. They were found to have good antioxidant activities that might be good DPPH free radical scavengers, especially prolamin, which has the lowest IC50 value (15.76 µg/mL). Moreover, globulin had the lowest IC50 value of 5.03 µg/mL against Hela cells, 31.82 µg/mL against HepG2 cells, and 77.81 µg/mL against MCF-7 cells and a high selectivity index (SI), which suggested globulin had better anti-cervical, antihepatoma, and anti-breast activity but relatively low cytotoxicity. These seed proteins may have great prospects for the development and application of food and drugs in the future.

Evaluation of high-protein diets differing in protein source in healthy adult dogs.

Given the dynamic market for protein-based ingredients in the pet food industry, demand continues to increase for both plant- and animal-based options. Protein sources contain different amino acid (AA) profiles and vary in digestibility, affecting protein quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of canine diets differing in protein source and test their effects on serum metabolites and fecal characteristics, metabolites, and microbiota of healthy adult dogs consuming them. Four extruded diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and meet the nutrient needs for adult dogs at maintenance, with the primary difference being protein source: 1) fresh deboned, dried, and spray-dried chicken (DC), 2) chicken by-product meal (CBPM), 3) wheat gluten meal (WGM), and 4) corn gluten meal (CGM). Twelve adult spayed female beagles (body weight [BW] = 9.9 ± 1.0 kg; age = 6.3 ± 1.1 yr) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design (n = 12/treatment). Each period consisted of a 22-d adaptation phase, 5 d for fecal collection, and 1 d for blood collection. Fecal microbiota data were analyzed using QIIME 2.2020.8. All other data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS version 9.4. Fecal scores were higher (P < 0.05; looser stools) in dogs fed DC or CBPM than those fed WGM or CGM, but all remained within an appropriate range. Dry matter ATTD was lower (P < 0.05) in dogs fed CBPM or CGM than those fed DC or WGM. Crude protein ATTD was lower (P < 0.05) in dogs fed DC or CGM than those fed WGM. Dogs fed CBPM had lower (P < 0.05) organic matter, crude protein, and energy ATTD than those fed the other diets. Fecal indole was higher (P < 0.05) in dogs fed CBPM than those fed WGM. Fecal short-chain fatty acids were higher (P < 0.05) in dogs fed DC than those fed CGM. Fecal branched-chain fatty acids were higher (P < 0.05) in dogs fed DC or CBPM than those fed WGM. Fecal ammonia was higher (P < 0.05) in dogs fed DC or CBPM than those fed WGM or CGM. The relative abundances of three bacterial phyla and nine bacterial genera were shifted among treatment groups (P < 0.05). Considering AA profiles and digestibility data, the DC diet protein sources provided the highest quality protein without additional AA supplementation, but the animal-based protein diets resulted in higher fecal proteolytic metabolites. Further studies evaluating moderate dietary protein concentrations are needed to better compare plant- and animal-based protein sources.

Pet food trends are constantly changing. Because consumers are often focused on dietary proteins, with ingredient sources, dietary inclusion levels, and processing methods being important, they are a popular research topic. Protein sources contain different amino acid (AA) profiles and vary in digestibility, affecting protein quality. Our objective was to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility of canine diets differing in protein source and test their effects on serum metabolites and fecal characteristics, metabolites, and microbiota of healthy adult dogs. Test diets were formulated to be similar nutritionally, but differed in protein source: fresh deboned, dried, and spray-dried chicken (DC), chicken by-product meal (CBPM), wheat gluten meal (WGM), and corn gluten meal (CGM). Fecal scores were higher in dogs fed chicken-based diets, but remained within an appropriate range. Dogs fed CBPM had lower nutrient and energy digestibilities than those fed the other diets, with protein digestibility also being lower in dogs fed DC or CGM than those fed WGM. Fecal metabolites and microbiota were shifted among diets, with animal-based protein diets increasing fecal protein metabolites. All diets were complete and balanced and performed well. When considering AA profiles and digestibility, however, the DC diet provided the highest protein quality.

Difference in the nutritional, in vitro, and functional characteristics of protein and fat isolates of two Indian chia (Salvia hispanica L) seed genotypes with variation in seed coat color.

This study aimed to determine the association between the seed coat color of two chia seed genotypes for their composition, protein content, amino acid, and fatty acid profiles. The optimal pH for protein isolation for both genotypes (BCPI and WCPI) was 10, based on protein purity and solubility. Fatty acid profiling indicated, overall, 18 different fatty acids higher in BCPI10 with linolenic acid domination (∼66%) followed by linoleic acid (∼19%) and oleic acid (∼6%), contributing PUFAs (∼86%). Optimized protein isolates, black (BCPI10) and white (WCPI10) chia, had shown purity, L*-value, solubility, and yields of 90.65%, 75.86%, 77.75%, 11.30%, and 90.00%, 77.83%, 76.07%, 10.69%, respectively. BCPI10 depicted higher EAA (33.19 g/100 g N) and EEA indices (57.676%) compared to WCPI10 (32.14 g/100 g N) and 56.360%, respectively. Amino acid profiling indicated higher, PER, TAA, TEAA, TNEAA, TAAA, TBA, acidic AA values for BCPI10, and higher leucine/isoleucine ratio for WCPI10 having leucine and sulfur amino acids as limiting amino acids. BCPI10 had higher sulfur-containing amino acid contents, as the main contributor to the albumin a water-soluble fraction, leading to its higher in vitro digestibility (71.97%) than WCPI10 (67.70%). Both isolates exhibited good WHC and OHC of 3.18, 2.39 and 3.00, 2.20, respectively. Both protein isolates had similar ∆Td (°C) values with some variation in FTIR spectrum from 1000 cm-1 to 1651 cm-1 having more peak intensity for BCPI10. SDS-PAGE indicated bands at 150 kDa, representing globulin and mild bands at 25-33 kDa for glutelin and albumin. A significant (p < 0.05) variation reported in this study for protein and lipid profiles of both genotype attributes to genetic differences between the seeds. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Based on the nutritional profile, both chia seed isolates (black and white) are suitable for consumption with an edge for black seed when supplemented with their limiting amino acids. The high values of the functional properties and structural characteristics combined with high nutritional values make the chia protein isolate an excellent source of raw material for various food formulations. Fatty acid profile of the oils from the genotypes showed the presence of high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, especially the PUFAs with more number of fatty acids in black chia seed. The excellent lipid profile of chia seed oil indicates the benefit of using chia seed oil as a source of essential fatty acids in the human diet for optimal health.

Assessment of brewing attitude of unmalted cereals and pseudocereals for gluten free beer production.

In this study, 40% of unmalted gluten free (GF) grains (sorghum, millet, buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth) was used in brewing process, in gelatinized and ungelatinized form, in order to produce GF beer and to extend current knowledge about their suitability as brewing adjuncts. Partial replacement of barley malt with GF grains led to a significant decrease of extract (°P) and alcohol (%v/v) content compared to control beer (p < 0.05), except for quinoa beer (QB). Results from Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted a satisfactory classification of experimental beers according to the two different forms of GF grains (gelatinized and ungelatinized). However, beers brewed with ungelatinized grains (mainly sorghum and quinoa) showed acceptable technological and sensory properties, thus suggesting that the pre-gelatinization step could be bypassed with a view to more environmentally and economically sustainable time-saving process. In addition, all beer samples showed a gluten content higher than 20 ppm.

Progress of the use of alternatives to malt in the production of gluten-free beer.

Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic drink in the world, but it is not suitable for patients who suffer from celiac disease (CD) because its main ingresdients, barley or wheat, contain gluten. Approximately 1% of the world's population is affected by CD, and the development of gluten-free beer is imperative. Gluten-free beers produced using alternative materials, such as rice, sorghum, maize, millet, oats, and pseudocereals (e.g., buckwheat, quinoa and Amaranth), are studied in this review that examines the effects of specific substitutions on the different characteristics of the final beer to ensure the appropriateness of their use. The use of alternatives to malt may affect the quality of gluten-free beer and result in some negative consequences. Accordingly, the influential factors are discussed in terms of the total substitution of malt with other grains in the production of beer. Research results have provided some new alternative solutions for the production of gluten-free beer, such as the use of malted grains to improve hydrolytic enzyme activity, the application of nonconventional mashing procedures involving the decoction method and extrusion cooking techniques to increase the extract yield, the use of exogenous enzymes and nitrogen supplements to improve the sugar and amino acid spectra necessary for yeast fermentation, and the application of combinations of alternative grains to improve the flavor, body and foam stability of gluten-free beers.

Effects of psyllium seed husk powder, methylcellulose, pregelatinised starch, and cold water swelling starch on the production of gluten free crackers.

The production of gluten free crackers is challenging because the formation of a gluten network is required. This study investigated the effects of psyllium seed husk powder (PSY), methylcellulose (MC), pregelatinised starch (PGS), and cold water swelling starch (CWSS) on gluten free crackers made of rice flour. The evaluations of pasting properties, dough rheological properties, textural properties, acoustic emissions, and structures were included in this study. Gluten free cracker doughs were more solid-like compared to wheat doughs based on their frequency dependence shown in the mechanical spectra. However, PGS significantly increased the fluid-like property and shapeability. The addition of MC at a high level significantly modified the pasting profile and a secondary swelling and breakdown might occur. As for the crackers, PSY and PGS crackers had comparable textural properties and sound release to wheat crackers, while CWSS crackers were slightly weaker. However, MC did not improve the textural properties compared to rice crackers because the interaction between the MC molecules was limited at the low water addition level, which limited its functionality in cracker making.

Identification of saprophytic microorganisms and analysis of changes in sensory, physicochemical, and nutritional characteristics of potato and wheat steamed bread during different storage periods.

Due to its nutritional value and no gluten, potato flour has recently been used as a new type of material to make steamed bread. However, compared to traditional wheat steamed bread, its shelf life is considerably shorter, the dominant microorganisms and storage properties also differ. High-throughput sequencing combined with molecular biology assay revealed that Bacillus methylotrophic and Bacillus subtilis were the dominant bacteria in the crumb of potato and wheat steamed bread, respectively. Moreover, Meyerozyma, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium citrinum, and Aspergillus parasiticus were the main fungi in the crusts. Ethanol was the most volatile compound in fresh potato and wheat steamed bread. Following storage for 48 h, 2,3-butanediol and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone were established as the most volatile compounds. Although decreased sourness was observed, the specific volume, brightness, and nutritional composition remained nearly unchanged. These findings provide a valuable theoretical basis for the development of potato and wheat steamed bread preservation technologies.

Potential ways for gluten contamination of gluten-free grain and gluten-free foods: the buckwheat case.

Buckwheat has been reported to be responsible for gluten contamination in manufactured gluten-free foods (mGFFs) although it is inherently gluten-free (GF). It could happen through buckwheat grains contacting gluten-containing (GC) grains and surfaces contacted by GC grains during pre-manufacturing practices. To simulate grain contact, whole and broken GC grains (wheat, rye, barley, and oat) were mixed into buckwheat grains at the ratio of 2.5-10.0%. Grains were agitated in vessels with inner surfaces covered with buckwheat grain. Gluten was not detected in buckwheat grains contacting whole GC grains at all mixing ratios. It was not detected in the case of broken GC grains at the mixing ratio of 2.5% and oat grains at all mixing ratios. Gluten concentration increased with the increasing mixing ratio and the natural gluten concentration of broken GC grains. To simulate surface contact, GC grains were first agitated in galvanised steel vessels and then buckwheat grains were agitated together under the same conditions. Gluten was detected on galvanised steel surfaces contacted by whole and broken GC grains. It was not detected in buckwheat grains contacting the surfaces contaminated by whole GC grains. Gluten was detected in buckwheat grain in the case of the broken GC grains except for oats. Gluten concentrations increased with increasing natural gluten concentration of GC grains. Contamination of mGFFs could be linked to potential contact with buckwheat grain. This contamination issue could be resolved through regulations mandating the proof of being GF for ingredients used in the production of mGFFs.

Tea polyphenols as a strategy to control starch digestion in bread: the effects of polyphenol type and gluten.

The inhibitory effect of tea polyphenols on starch digestibility can contribute to the control of the glycaemic index of starchy food. In this study, wheat bread and gluten-free bread were co-digested in vitro with different amounts of tea polyphenols. The kinetics of starch digestion and polyphenol bio-accessibility during in vitro digestion were monitored. The results showed that co-digestion of bread with tea polyphenols dose-dependently slowed the starch digestion kinetics and this effect is influenced by the types of polyphenols and the presence of gluten. The presence of gluten lowered the inhibitory efficacy of tannins on starch digestibility to 7.4% and 47.5% when 25 mg of tannins were co-digested with wheat bread and gluten-free bread, respectively. In contrast, the presence of gluten had little impact on the inhibitory efficacy of monomeric polyphenols. This study shows that the release of tea polyphenols in the digestive environment is a promising strategy for controlling the glycaemic index of starchy food and that monomeric and polymeric tea polyphenols differently affect starch digestion according to the presence of gluten.

Gluten contamination in manufactured gluten-free foods in Turkey.

Gluten contamination in manufactured gluten-free foods (mGFFs) is a major health, well-being and economic issue worldwide for both mandatory and voluntary GFF-consumers. Although scarce, a number of surveys have shown that up to 21.5 % of mGFFs in circulation in the market are contaminated with gluten. However, at the present time there is no published work reporting gluten contamination in mGFFs produced in Turkey. In this paper miscellaneous mGFFs produced in Turkey were analysed for gluten concentration (G) to fill this knowledge gap, and to compare the situation in Turkey with worldwide efforts on this issue. A total of 200 mGFFs from 8 product categories (snack, pasta, bread, cookie, cracker, farina, traditional and others), and manufactured using 7 main ingredients (cereal mixture, buckwheat, corn, rice, locust bean, potato, and others) were analysed. A significant portion of mGFFs (17.5 %) were contaminated with gluten and therefore unacceptable as being GFF. The results point to buckwheat as the main cause of this contamination. If buckwheat is excluded, the ratio of unacceptable mGFFs dramatically decreases to 6.3 % and probably to 1.8 %, which are comparable figures to those reported for other countries. Almost all countries are subjected to the same regulations on GFFs, and the problem of gluten contamination could readily be solved to a great extent if pre-market measures are mandated. Enforcing mGFF-producers to screen their raw materials and final products to detect the presence of gluten, and preventing the release of contaminated mGFFs into the market would be a practical measure in favour of all stakeholders involved in GFF-consumption.

Elaboration of a spontaneous gluten-free sourdough with a mixture of amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa flours analyzing microbial load, acidity, and pH.

Pseudocereals are gluten-free, nutrient-dense raw materials that are being considered for the production of gluten-free products, especially bread. This study proposes a gluten-free sourdough formula based on equal amounts of amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa with a dough yield of 250, and an elaboration method to obtain ripe sourdough. Sourdough was characterized in terms of microbiology, pH, and total titratable acidity. The established protocol made it possible to obtain a spontaneous ripe sourdough with lactic acid bacteria populations of 9.60 ± 0.02 log CFU/g and total yeasts and non-Saccharomyces yeast populations (lysine positive) of 7.91 ± 0.15 and 7.52 ± 0.10 log CFU/g, respectively. Great pH stability and total titratable acidity were maintained in the ripe sourdough phase, with values of 4.04 ± 0.02 and 18.39 ± 0.56 ml NaOH 0.1 M/10 g, respectively, at the time of the next refreshment. The use of this sourdough could be an interesting alternative for the production of not only gluten-free bread but also other gluten-free products.

Gluten-free breadmaking affected by the particle size and chemical composition of quinoa and buckwheat flour fractions.

This study aimed at assessing the effect of physicochemical properties and the particle size of different fractions of buckwheat and quinoa on the behaviour of gluten-free dough and bread quality. Quinoa and buckwheat grains were milled with a hammer mill and then separated in three fractions. These fractions where then re-milled with a cyclonic mill to obtain samples of similar sizes. Results showed that the chemical composition of these fractions was very different and played a major role on bread quality. Proteins, lipids and fibre negatively affected bread quality, whereas starch-rich fractions were more adequate for breadmaking. Re-milling quinoa and buckwheat fractions increased bread volume, although chemical composition still influenced bread properties. For hammer-milled fractions, both the finest fractions resulted in breads with higher technological quality, as well as a final product with more fibre, minerals and proteins.

Analysis of ingredient and nutritional labeling of commercially available gluten-free bread in Brazil.

This study aimed at evaluating the ingredients and nutritional information of commercially-available gluten-free bread (GFB) in Brazil. A total of 128 products were studied, of which 87% presented the sandwich loaf shape. Traditional GFBs (n = 114) had as main ingredient the refined rice flour and starches, whereas alternative ones (n = 14) presented whole rice flour. Raw materials suggested by science to improve nutrients and bioactive compounds of gluten-free foodstuffs were observed in the ingredient list of most products (n = 86); however, they were used in lower levels, thus no significant differences were observed for nutritional information between the different categories of GFB. No products with added vitamins or minerals were found, though 77% of them included hydrocolloids in their formulations - other food additives were also observed. Despite the increased gluten-free food market, there is still a gap between science and market, especially regarding the approaches to improve the GFB diversity and nutritional quality.

Speciation of Selenium in Brown Rice Fertilized with Selenite and Effects of Selenium Fertilization on Rice Proteins.

Foliar Selenium (Se) fertilizer has been widely used to accumulate Se in rice to a level that meets the adequate intake level. The Se content in brown rice (Oryza sativa L.) was increased in a dose-dependent manner by the foliar application of sodium selenite as a fertilizer at concentrations of 25, 50, 75, and 100 g Se/ha. Selenite was mainly transformed to organic Se, that is, selenomethionine in rice. Beyond the metabolic capacity of Se in rice, inorganic Se also appeared. In addition, four extractable protein fractions in brown rice were analyzed for Se concentration. The Se concentrations in the glutelin and albumin fractions saturated with increasing Se concentration in the fertilizer compared with those in the globulin and prolamin fractions. The structural analyses by fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and differential scanning calorimetry suggest that the secondary structure and thermostability of glutelin were altered by the Se treatments. These alterations could be due to the replacements of cysteine and methionine to selenocysteine and selenomethionine, respectively. These findings indicate that foliar fertilization of Se was effective in not only transforming inorganic Se to low-molecular-weight selenometabolites such as selenoamino acids, but also incorporating Se into general rice proteins, such as albumin, globulin glutelin, and prolamin, as selenocysteine and selenomethionine in place of cysteine and methionine, respectively.

Comparison of different extraction methodologies for the analysis of volatile compounds in gluten-free flours and corn starch by GC/QTOF.

Gluten-free bakery products usually exhibit weak aroma. Their main constituents are flours and starches, which contain aroma precursors but can also contribute additional volatiles in low concentrations. Static headspace (SHS), solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and solvent-assisted flavour evaporation (SAFE) coupled to GC/QTOF were compared for their efficacy in the analysis of volatiles in corn starch. SPME-GC/QTOF was selected as the most suitable methodology based on the number of detected compounds, LODs, repeatability as well as simplicity. It was successfully applied for the quantification of volatiles in corn starch and qualitative comparison of different gluten-free flours. Hexanal, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-octen-3-ol, acetic acid, furfural, benzaldehyde, (E)-2-nonenal, phenylethyl alcohol and short-medium chain acids were found in all the flours and corn starch. Quinoa flour and corn starch showed the highest contents of pyrazines, terpenes and esters, while teff, buckwheat and rice flours presented the highest contents of 3/2-methyl-1-butanol, acetoin and organic acids.

Effect of acorn meal-water combinations on technological properties and fine structure of gluten-free bread.

Gluten-free breads were developed from rice flour and corn starch at a constant ratio 1:1 with acorn meal addition (5, 15, 25%), at three levels of water (65, 70, 75%). Acorn supplemented gluten free breads better met sensory preference than rice breads in terms of colour (brown hue was enhanced) and were also nutritionally improved in terms of total phenolics. The specific volume of breads significantly decreased with increasing acorn addition while crumb hardness was also increased. SEM images confirmed that the decrease in the ΔH values at low water level (65%) was due to less swelling of starch as observed from large starch granule remnants present after baking. XRD measurements revealed coexistence of "B" and "V" type starch structures. Increasing of acorn concentration enhanced the intensity of FTIR bands at 994, 1016 and 1077 cm-1.

Chemometric analysis of minerals in gluten-free products.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies indicate mineral deficiencies in people on a gluten-free (GF) diet. These deficiencies may indicate that GF products are a less valuable source of minerals than gluten-containing products. In the study, the nutritional quality of 50 GF products is discussed taking into account the nutritional requirements for minerals expressed as percentage of recommended daily allowance (%RDA) or percentage of adequate intake (%AI) for a model celiac patient. Elements analyzed were calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc. Analysis of %RDA or %AI was performed using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). RESULTS: Using PCA, the differentiation between products based on rice, corn, potato, GF wheat starch and based on buckwheat, chickpea, millet, oats, amaranth, teff, quinoa, chestnut, and acorn was possible. In the HCA, four clusters were created. The main criterion determining the adherence of the sample to the cluster was the content of all minerals included to HCA (K, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn); however, only the Mn content differentiated four formed groups. CONCLUSION: GF products made of buckwheat, chickpea, millet, oats, amaranth, teff, quinoa, chestnut, and acorn are better source of minerals than based on other GF raw materials, what was confirmed by PCA and HCA. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gluten-Free Foods in Rural Maritime Provinces: Limited Availability, High Price, and Low Iron Content.

We investigated the price difference between gluten-free (GF) and gluten-containing (GC) foods available in rural Maritime stores. GF foods and comparable GC items were sampled through random visits to 21 grocery stores in nonurban areas of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Wilcoxon rank tests were conducted on price per 100 g of product, and on the price relative to iron content; 2226 GF foods (27.2% staple items, defined as breads, cereals, flours, and pastas) and 1625 GC foods were sampled, with an average ± SD of 66 ± 2.7 GF items per store in rural areas and 331 ± 12 in towns. The median price of GF items ($1.76/100 g) was more expensive than GC counterparts ($1.05/100 g) and iron density was approximately 50% less. GF staple foods were priced 5% higher in rural stores than in town stores. Although the variety of GF products available to consumers has improved, higher cost and lower nutrient density remain issues in nonurban Maritime regions. Dietitians working in nonurban areas should consider the relative high price, difficult access, and low iron density of key GF items, and work together with clients to find alternatives and enhance their food literacy.