Celiac disease affects about 1% of the population, requiring a strict gluten-free diet. Despite the growing market for gluten-free products, their sensory quality remains a challenge. Since celiacs must follow a gluten-free diet and cannot consume all cereal products like non-celiacs, such a limiting sensory experience could affect the sensory quality perception of the same cereal product. Therefore, this study compared how individuals with and without gluten-related disorders perceive the sensory properties of gluten-free biscuits. Sensory profile of three biscuit types (made from coconut shavings, buckwheat flour, and a gluten-free mix) were evaluated by 100 participants, including 48 individuals with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten intolerance, and 52 people without no dietary restrictions related to gluten. All data were organized and pre-processed in Microsoft® Excel. The distribution of responses was examined using the Shapiro-Wilk test, which indicated deviations from normality. Consequently, non-parametric methods were applied: the Kruskal-Wallis test with Nemenyi post-hoc comparisons to analyze differences among biscuit types, and the Mann-Whitney U test to compare evaluations between participants with and without gluten-related disorders. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess relationships among sensory attributes. Results showed no significant differences between people with glute-free diet and people without this restriction in majority of evaluated descriptors. Concerning the samples, the coconut-based biscuit received the highest ratings, while the buckwheat-based biscuit scored lowest. The results suggest that sensory evaluations of gluten-free products can be conducted by individuals without gluten-related disorders, as long-term adherence to a gluten-free diet does not significantly affect sensory perception.

Department of Microbiology Nutrition and Dietetics Faculty of Agrobiology Food and Natural Resources Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Prague Czechia

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