Replacement of Wheat Flour by Chickpea Flour in Muffin Batter: Effect on Rheological Properties

The effect on rheological properties of muffin batter of replacing wheat flour (WF) with chickpea flour (CF) was studied by using viscoelastic and steady‐state shear tests to characterize the physical structure and predict both processing and batter performances. CF was used to replace WF in the batter partially (25, 50, 75% w/w) or totally (100% w/w, i.e., CF‐based gluten‐free muffin batter), and compared with a control made only with wheat (100% WF batter). Viscoelasticity and rebuild time decreased significantly with the increase in the percentage of WF replacement. Gluten‐free muffin batter had the highest viscosity after shearing reflecting a trend toward a dilatant flow behavior associated with higher intermolecular aggregation interactions due to higher protein content. Rheological properties of the batters are dominated by the starch and protein contents present in the formulations. Replacement of WF by CF also increased the number of air bubbles which were smaller. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Gluten‐free muffins should resemble those made from WF, overcoming problems of quality defects and low nutritional value. Potential for use of CF in gluten‐free muffins is related to its high protein content, playing a healthy and functional role. Formulation of gluten‐reduced and gluten‐free muffins involves studying batter rheology and resulting baked product characteristics. Various CF‐based muffin batters were formulated and rheologically characterized under small and large deformations to attain insights of structural status and mechanical behavior. Higher WF batter viscoelasticity is related to higher starch content, whereas higher CF batter viscosity after shearing correlated well with higher protein content. CF with starch content adjusted to the level of WF could decrease differences in rheological properties of batters. CF helped to incorporate air into the batter, which is essential for achieving appropriate final volume and spongy texture.