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Understanding Gluten-Free Flour Characterization: From Functional Properties to Processing (MN)

Join us for this gluten-free flour workshop, designed to provide both industry professionals and academic researchers with the essential knowledge and hands-on experience needed to characterize and process gluten-free systems. Understanding the functional behavior of gluten-free flours is critical for optimizing formulation, processing performance, and final product quality. This workshop combines technical lectures with practical application using key analytical techniques and instrumentation.

Participants will explore the use of the FarinoGraph to measure water absorption and dough consistency in gluten-free formulations, helping to break conventional paradigms and improve product development strategies. Additional characterization methods will include particle size and shape distribution, tap density, and gelatinization properties, providing a comprehensive understanding of material behavior. A dedicated extrusion session will connect raw material properties to finished snack products through hands-on processing.

Key takeaways:

  • Fundamentals of gluten-free flour functionality, including water absorption and dough consistency
  • Techniques for evaluating particle size distribution, shape, and density
  • Understanding gelatinization behavior and its impact on processing
  • Hands-on experience using the FarinoGraph and complementary analytical methods
  • Practical extrusion session to translate material properties into finished product performance
  • Strategies to streamline research and development, optimize production processes, and ensure quality control of raw materials

Workshop format:

This workshop will be delivered through a combination of technical lectures and hands-on instrument training led by Anton Paar application specialists. A dedicated afternoon session will focus on extrusion and snack production. Lunch and coffee breaks will be provided.
 

Helga Gschwind, Dr. Debomitra Dey

Venue: St. Paul, United States, University of Minnesota, 145 Department of Food Science and Nutrition
Number of participants: 20
Costs: $200 | Free for Students
End of registration: 2 Nov 2026

Contact person and registration:
Ethan Johnston
Tel.: +1 (804) 550-1051 x379
ethan.johnston[at]anton-paar.com

Register
Helga Gschwind

Helga Gschwind is a Market Development Manager with Anton Paar USA focused on developing new markets for analytical, process and quality control instrumentation within the food industry. She received her engineering degree in food science from the National University of Lujan, Argentina and has worked for over 20 years in the food and beverage industry in quality, production, and engineering areas.

Debomitra Dey

Debomitra Dey is an Advanced Application Scientist at Anton Paar USA, specializing in extrusion processing for snacks, meat analogues, and pet food. She leads application‑lab trials, optimizes ingredient and process interactions, and supports rapid prototype development across industry projects. Before joining Anton Paar, she worked as a Food Extrusion Specialist at CW Brabender Instruments in New Jersey.

Debomitra earned her Ph.D. in Food Science from Washington State University and has published multiple research papers in food science and technology. She collaborates actively with universities and academic partners, advancing work in rheology, thermal analysis, structure-function relationships, and the extrusion behavior of emerging and plant‑based ingredients. Her work emphasizes practical problem‑solving, cross‑functional collaboration, and developing clear, science‑driven guidance for the extrusion community.