Evaluating the nutritional and sensorial impact of pulse protein fortification in gluten-free focaccia: a comparative study

The increasing demand for healthy gluten-free bakery products is prompting researchers to reassess traditional recipes using alternative ingredients, addressing their typically poor nutritional profiles and simplifying ingredient lists. To meet specific nutritional aims, protein concentrates obtained through sustainable methods such as dry-fractionation can be used. A comparative study was conducted on gluten-free focaccia, a popular Italian flatbread (Pasqualone et al., 2022), prepared by adding 5% dry-fractionated chickpea or pea protein concentrates (protein content = 55%), evaluating the nutritional features and consumer acceptability of the finished products. The data indicate that the both fortified focaccias were “low-fat” (<3 g/100 g), “source of fiber” (>3 g/100 g of fiber) and “source of protein” (>12% of energy provided by proteins), due to the inclusion of pulses and psyllium husk powder, aligning with EC Regulation No. 1924/06. In addition, chickpea and pea proteins enhanced lysine content by addressing the deficiency of this amino acid in cereals. The amino acid scores were 132.9 and 130.1 for chickpea- and pea-enriched focaccias respectively, markedly higher than the non-fortified control (score = 40.2). Consumer tests revealed no significant differences in color and flavor liking between the fortified and non-fortified focaccias. However, the pea-fortified samples exhibited a lower liking score for odor. Overall liking ratings slightly favored the non-fortified over the fortified focaccias. These findings underscore the potential of using pulse proteins in gluten-free focaccia and highlight the challenges in formulating glutenfree products to enhance their nutritional characteristics without compromising sensory acceptability. Further research is needed to improve the odor of finished products, especially for those added of pea flour.