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Researchers have developed natural, gluten-free bread that has the firm but airy texture of a wheat-flour loaf without using additives or gums, Food Navigator reports. Hiroshima University researchers have discovered that by changing the way rice flour is milled, they can achieve different results in bread-baking.

Gluten is an important factor in bread baking. The protein is strong yet elastic, providing baked goods with structure. As dough ferments and rises, yeast produces carbon dioxide — it’s the gluten infrastructure that stretches and expands around these gas bubbles. During baking, the gluten should be flexible enough to allow the bubbles to expand, but sturdy enough to prevent them from bursting.

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In examining how a similar effect could be achieved using gluten-free flour, researchers used an ingredient developed by Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO): wet-milled rice flour. They found that the secret to achieving a gluten-free loaf that offers a similar gustatory experience to a wheat-based one lies in the way the flour is milled.