Advances in gluten-free baked products: Ingredient innovations, processing technologies, and implications for health and nutritional quality

Silvera-Otañe G.P.; Díaz-Llocclla M.; Asto-Rodriguez E.; Rodríguez A.; Vidaurre-Ruiz J.; Salvador-Reyes R. · Heliyon (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2026.e45387

Resumen

Gluten-free baked goods represent a rapidly expanding food category driven by the growing prevalence of gluten-related disorders and the demand for healthier and more functional foods. This narrative review critically analyzes recent advances in ingredients, processing technologies, and formulation strategies aimed at improving the technological, nutritional, and sensory quality of these products. Alternative raw materials such as pseudocereals, legumes, modified starches, hydrocolloids, and agro-industrial by-products are examined, as well as their impact on the structure, volume, texture, and shelf life of gluten-free matrices. It also evaluates the role of conventional and emerging technologies, including sourdough fermentation, extrusion, high hydrostatic pressure, ultrasound, cold plasma, and nanotechnology in the functional modification of proteins and starches to mimic the structural functionality of gluten. The evidence highlights that the synergistic combination of formulation and processing is crucial to closing the quality gap with traditional wheat products. Finally, unlike previous reviews that address ingredients and technologies in isolation, this study proposes an integrated techno-nutritional balance framework that identifies specific synergies between functional raw materials and emerging technologies, along with knowledge gaps that guide the rational design of next-generation gluten-free products with optimized functional performance, improved nutritional value, and sustainable industrial viability.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina; Universidad Tecnológica del Perú; Universidad Nacional del Santa