Gluten And Lactose-Free Ingredient Substitute Found For Low-Fat White Sauces

Consumers with celiac disease often find that gluten-free products are of inferior quality compared with their traditional, non-gluten-free counterparts. Traditional white sauce is made with milk, flour or starch, oil, and salt. The study looks at how the use of vegetable protein source and gluten-free starches can make a type of sauce suitable for vegetarian, lactose intolerant and consumers with celiac disease.

Credit:  Wikipedia

The researcher replaced milk with soy protein which improves the structure of the sauce as well as makes it consumable for lactose-intolerant consumers, and at the same time, lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. Traditional flour was replaced with gluten-free waxy starches such as corn and rice that each improves the structure of the sauce with minimal effects on color and taste. Inulin, a well-known functional ingredient that is known for reducing the risk of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, was used to replace the oil. 

The results have shown that these sauces have a high degree of stability under refrigeration storage and good consumer acceptability.

Contacts and sources:
Stephanie Callahan
Institute of Food Science & Technology