Delicious~ Gluten-Free Bread Selection
Gluten is a protein commonly found in wheat, barley, and rye. In Chinese, it is also called mianjin or wheat protein; terms like 'high-gluten flour' and 'low-gluten flour' come from this. The function of gluten is to build a three-dimensional structure in the dough, trapping the carbon dioxide produced by yeast during fermentation, allowing the bread to rise during baking and giving it a soft texture.
Gluten-free bread differs in taste, stickiness, elasticity, and structure from regular bread. Therefore, recipes need to incorporate more different ingredients, such as various types of starch, fiber, pectin, etc., and the production steps must be tested and modified. This is why the ingredient list on gluten-free bread packaging includes so many components.
According to the US FDA, gluten-free products must contain no more than 20 ppm of gluten to be labeled as gluten-free (i.e., no more than 0.02 grams of gluten per kilogram). Therefore, production must include allergen-safe separation and monitoring to ensure no cross-contamination occurs. All of these factors also explain why gluten-free bread is sold at a higher price, as the overall cost is indeed much higher.
A seemingly simple and delicious piece of gluten-free bread deserves careful appreciation.
Maison Kayser Hong Kong – Authentic French Bakery (maison-kayser.com.hk)
Bread of Life 無麩質麵包 – 營樂 NutriAlley
Welcome to Marks & Spencer (marksandspencer.com)
Sweetpea Cafe – Sweetpea Cafe HK (sweetpea-cafe-hk.myshopify.com)