Cereal and Bakery Research

Cereal and bakery research are major components of the R&D programme of the Food Technology and Quality Research Department at Ashtown. Cereal research facilities include a mill room, test bakery, dough rheology lab and a sensory unit. Activities of the cereal group involve innovative fundamental and applied research in baked goods, including novel formulations. The research addresses current health issues/trends e.g. gluten-free and glycaemic index (GI), and uses alternative flours (e.g. barley, buckwheat) to enhance the nutritional properties of baked goods. The group also collaborates with third level researchers and industry and participates in industry-led research in the cereal area.

Support for bakery industry

This embraces flour testing, formulation, product development, dough and batter rheology, test baking and sensory analysis of baked goods.

• Product reformulation in gluten-free research
• Healthy cereal-based snacks from by-products of the milling, malting, brewing and cider industries
• Functional properties of beta glucans from barley
• Wheat and dough rheological studies
• Product reformulation and in vitro testing of low glycaemic breads

Further Information

For more information on any of the above projects contact:
Dr. Eimear Gallagher (Eimear.Gallagher@teagasc.ie) at Teagasc Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15.
Tel: 01-8059500; Fax: 01-8059550

Selected recent publications from the research:

1. Alvarez, L.A., Wijngaard, H., Arendt, E.K. and Gallagher, E. (2010). Polyphenol composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat as affected by sprouting and baking. Food Chemistry, 119 (2): 770-778.
2. Alvarez, L.A., Arendt, E.K. and Gallagher, E. (2010). Baking properties and microstructure of pseudocereal flours in gluten- free bread formulations. European Food Research and Technology, 230 (3), 437-445.
3. Alvarez, L.A., Arendt, E.K. and Gallagher, E. (2010). Nutritive value of pseudocereals and their increasing use as functional gluten-free ingredients. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 21 (2) 106-113.
4. Gallagher, E. (2009). Improving gluten-free bread quality through the application of enzymes. European Journal of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods, 20 (1): 34-37.
5. Gallagher, E., Gormley, T.R. and Arendt, E.K. (2004) Recent advances in the formulation of gluten-free cereal-based products. Trends in Food Science 15: 18-23.
6. Gallagher, E. (2009) Book: Gluten-free Food Science and Technology. Published by Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-5915-9.
7. Gupta, M., Abu-Ghannam, N. and Gallagher, E. (2010). Barley for brewing: Characteristic changes during malting, brewing and applications of its by-products. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 9:318-328.
8. Sullivan, P., O’Flaherty, J., Brunton, N., Gee, V., Arendt, E.K. and Gallagher, E. (2010). Chemical composition and microstructure of milled barley fractions. European Food Research and Technology, 230 (4), 579-595.
9. Ktenioudaki, A., Butler, F. and Gallagher, E. (2010). The effect of different mixing processes on dough extensional rheology and baked attributes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 90: 2098-2104.
10. Ktenioudaki, A., Butler, F. and Gallagher, E. (2010). Rheological properties and baking quality of wheat varieties from various geographical regions. Journal of Food Engineering, 51 (3), 402-408.
11. Gallagher, E. and Ktenioudaki, A. (2009). Wheat discrimination according to the fermentation capacity of doughs. Chopin Tribune, 26: 2.
12. Gallagher, E. (2009). Testing times. British Baker, April, 31.
13. Burton, P., Monro, J., Alvarez, L. and Gallagher, E. (2010) Glycaemic impact and health: New horizons in white bread formulations. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, in press.