Production of Gluten-Free Cakes Using Carrot Pomace Powder

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by the digestion of gluten. The unique treatment of this disease includes use of diets with no gluten. Carrot pomace is a byproduct of juice factories, which is rich in minerals. The aim of this study was to assess effects of carrot pomace powder on physicochemical and sensory properties of gluten-free cakes and comparison of these cakes with rice and wheat cakes.

D-optimal mixture design approach was used to prepare optimal carrot cake samples based on the volume. The optimal cake samples were compared with those prepared from rice and wheat flours for chemical properties, dough viscosity, baking properties, texture, color and sensory characteristics.

Complete replacement of carrot pomace powder showed significant differences in humidity, water activity and porosity of the samples. Carrot pomace powder cakes included significantly lower L* (lightness), a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values than those the rice and wheat flour cakes did. Wheat cakes were significantly larger than the other cakes and the lowest volume belonged to rice cakes. Hardness of the wheat flour samples was less than that of gluten-free samples. In sensory characteristics, carrot pomace powder cakes included significantly higher overall acceptance scores, compared to those wheat and rice cakes did.

Based on the results from this study, the highlighted replacement may positively affect physicochemical properties of the gluten-free cakes.