Food scientists have developed a new soy-based substitute for gluten- and lactose-free products that they say is superior in taste and appeal to traditional items.

The substitute — detailed in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists — was developed to meet the growing consumer demand for tasty gluten- and lactose-free food products that meet their needs and help improve their health.
Tests of the new product, contained in new white sauce formulations, determined consumers liked it and it was found to stay stable under refrigeration storage.
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The researchers noted consumers with celiac disease often find gluten-free products “inferior,” compared with their traditional, non-gluten-free counterparts. Traditional white sauce, for instance, is made with milk, flour or starch, oil, and salt.
But researchers created a substitute using a vegetable protein source and gluten-free starches to make such white sauces — suitable for vegetarian, lactose intolerant and consumers with celiac disease — without compromising on taste.
By replacing milk with soy protein, researchers improved the structure of the sauce and made it consumable for lactose-intolerant people. Traditional flour was replaced with gluten-free waxy starches such as corn and rice with minimal effects on color and taste. And inulin, a well-known functional ingredient believed to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, was used to replace the oil.