Gluten-free pasta as an alternative in the diet of patients with celiac disease.

ABSTRACT

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that produces inflammation in the gut mucosa, affecting nutrient digestion and absorption. CD affects 0.3% to 1.0% of the world's population and only 15% have a clinical diagnosis. The only effective treatment is a gluten-free diet. The objective of this study was to develop a dough for gluten-free pasta prepared with mixtures of flours from corn, amaranth, soy, and rice. According to the FAO standard of 1975, the resultant mixtures should have a protein content greater than 11.0% and a chemical rating of not less than 70. Three mixtures were obtained corn‒soy (81-19), corn‒rice‒soy (48-37-15), and corn‒rice‒amaranth (49-32-14). To improve the handling of the pasta and its physical characteristics (sedimentation, degree of absorption, and cracked shaped pasta) compared to a control (commercial) gluten-free pasta, carboxymethylcellulose, an emulsifier (distilled monoglycerides), and egg albumin were added at concentrations of 0.3, 0.5, and 5.0%, respectively. The corn flour was pregelatinized, and the extrusion was repeated twice. The experimental pasta had a protein content of 14.0%, which was higher than the commercial pasta (4.5%), and a gluten content of less than 20 mg/kg which, according to the Codex Alimentarius International Food Standard (2015), it is considered gluten-free. The corn‒rice‒soy pasta obtained had an acceptance and liking similar to a commercial brand. This pasta may widen the gluten-free products commercially available to CD patients in Mexico, which nowadays is limited and expensive. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Raw materials available in our country were selected to promote their consumption and diversify the ingredients used in the production of gluten-free products. The pasta obtained presented a higher nutritional content than a commercial gluten-free pasta and was comparable to that of a pasta made with wheat.