Whole-grain rice bread targeted for home baking.

Whole-grain foods are known for their health benefits. But for people with wheat allergies--or those whose bodies cannot tolerate certain proteins in wheat, rye and barley--trying to get ample servings of whole grains in the diet is a challenge.

Now, USDA-ARS scientists have developed a whole-grain rice bread mix made for home breadmaking machines. The new rice bread qualifies as whole grain, providing the high-in-fiber bran fraction of the grain. It also boasts a texture comparable to that of whole-wheat bread. The researchers are seeking a commercial partner to help advance this technology.

The ideal collaboration will be with food companies which can:

* Manufacture and market rice breads;

* Blend dry bread ingredients and also market rice breadmaking machines.

The scientists developed a low-cost whole rice bread that consumers can make from a dry ingredient mixture in about 3 hours in their homes. Research is still ongoing to find the optimal bread machine conditions for kneading and baking the whole-grain dough. But given the current interest in the product, the whole-grain rice bread mix could be available this year. The scientists have applied for a patent covering their research.

The investigators identified specific varieties of rice flours, their particle size distributions, other ingredients and specific bread-making conditions. All of the ingredients needed to make the rice bread are readily available. Typical rice flour sold in stores will not work to make good rice bread.

The product is especially valuable to the roughly 2 million Americans with celiac disease. These individuals must avoid grain products made from wheat, rye and barley because they contain gluten. Developing a gluten-free, whole-grain bread that not only is tasty but also has the right texture is a tough task, since gluten proteins offer a resiliency that's essential for making baked goods. But investigators experimented until they found the best rice cultivar and flour particle size for the whole-grain bread.

According to the Louisiana Celiac Sprue Association, whole-grain rice bread is superior to commercial rice breads currently on the market. It also lacks other potentially allergenic ingredients, such as milk and eggs. Existing rice breads cost $4 to $5 per loaf. They do not have a desirable texture and usually contain tapioca, potato, eggs and milk solids. Rice is also devoid of gluten, the protein responsible for causing Celiac disease. Hence, such whole rice foods as bread are ideal for persons suffering from Celiac and other food allergies.

Further information. Ranjit Kadan, USDA-ARS Southern Regional Research Center, Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].