Effects of Different Flour Types, Protein Sources and Transglutaminase Enzymes on Gluten-Free Şekerpare Production

Abstract

Şekerpare is a well-known dessert in Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine, traditionally prepared using semolina. However, the presence of gluten in semolina prevents individuals with celiac disease from consuming this dessert. In this study, gluten-free şekerpare formulations were developed using combinations of corn flour, rice flour, potato flour, corn starch, and tapioca starch. Additionally, soy protein, pea protein, and transglutaminase (TG) enzymes were incorporated into these formulations to investigate their effects on dough and final product properties. The study evaluated the properties of the dough, such as pH, hardness, stickiness, work of adhesion, dough strength/cohesiveness, and the color, hardness, fracturability, and sensory properties of the final products. The results demonstrated that the proteins and TG enzyme had varying effects on dough properties depending on the flour combination used. Dough prepared with corn and potato flours exhibited the highest hardness values, while the dough of control group consistently had the lowest hardness. Soy and pea proteins reduced the stickiness of the dough, whereas the use of TG enzyme in combination with pea protein significantly increased the stickiness levels. In the sensory analysis, panelists rated the şekerpare samples prepared using the MuPr formulation, consisting of 62,5% corn flour and 37,5% rice flour, as the most preferred product in terms of texture and taste. However, it was observed that the type of protein used and the addition of TG enzyme did not have a significant overall impact on sensory attributes.