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A growing number of diseases in association with gluten intake, such as coeliac disease, have led to increasing demand for gluten-free products as a crucial economic and health issue. Gluten-free products, because of the absence of gluten, usually have a poor texture, taste and appearance. Therefore, the production of good quality gluten-free products with substances that can somehow mimic the viscoelastic properties of gluten is an important challenge. Recently, hydrocolloids are widely used to improve the quality and shelf-life of gluten-free products. In this study, the effect of hydrocolloids on the production of gluten-free cereal-based products, such as breads, cakes and muffins, biscuits and cookies, pasta and noodles, has been reviewed as well as their nutritional values. In general, this study could suggest key factors in the improvement of gluten-free products.

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Water contamination with heavy metals is increased due to environmental contaminants. Arsenic, cadmium, mer-cury, and lead are well-known toxic heavy metals for humans. Lactobacillus acidophilus is an ideal absorbent for the removal of metals from drinking water. In this study, the ability of treated and untreated L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 to remove four heavy metals, simultaneously, from multi-metallic contaminated water in 24 h was investigated. In addition, the stability of the bacteria–metal complexes was evaluated in simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions. According to the results, untreated L. acidophilus could remove 99.01% and 92.35% of mercury and lead in water, respectively (initial concentration of 700 µg.L−1; inoculum size of 2.6×1012 CFU.mL−1; pH 4; 37°C; 24 h), whereas removal of arsenic and cadmium, under the same conditions, was 91.28% and 61.91% by heat and NaOH treated cells, respectively. In the digest condition, the complexes of bacteria-metal were reversible and the bond stability of untreated bacteria–Hg complexes was stronger than other complexes. The results suggest that treated or untreated L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 cells have the potential to adsorb heavy metals in contaminated water.

In recent decades, “contamination of the environment, food, and feed by different contaminants such as heavy metals and toxins is increasing due to industrial life.” Commercial milk and milk products can be contaminated with heavy metals and mycotoxins. Biosorption is a low-cost method and has good potential for decontamination. In dairy products, “various starters, especially probiotics, can be used as biosorbants, while microorganisms are able to bind to heavy metals and toxins and decrease their bioavailability and hazards in the human body.” In this article, the key role of dairy starters and probiotics in the decontamination of toxins and heavy metals, and the best probiotics for decontamination of aflatoxins and heavy metals has been reviewed. After a quick glance at introducing dairy products and the main risks in association with the intake of some hazardous materials from dairy products, the application of biological systems is mentioned. Then, the article is focused on the role of beneficial microorganisms as the last chance to decrease the risk of exposure to toxins and heavy metals in dairy products. This review can be helpful for biotechnologists and scientists who have challenges about the existence of heavy metals and toxins in milk and dairy products, and help them to find the best method to decrease the content of the usual contaminants.

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The gluten is an important structural protein in the cereal‐based products and is effective in developing a flexible protein network for providing the desired viscoelasticity of the product. Thus, gluten replacement is one of the main challenging issues in the food industry because gluten‐free products are relatively undesirable in terms of nutritional value, quality, taste, color, and texture. Therefore, it needs to improve gluten‐free cereal‐based products by substances such as enzymes. In this article, the key role of enzymes in the production of gluten‐free cereal‐based baked products has been reviewed. After a fast glance at introducing gluten and main diseases in association with gluten intake, alternatives to gluten are mentioned. Then the article has been focused on the effect of enzymes on gluten‐free breads, cakes, and muffins, pasta, and noodles, respectively. Practical applications Since a growing number of people are suffering from gluten‐related disorders and need a gluten‐free diet, demand for gluten‐free products is recently increased. Therefore, the production of good quality gluten‐free products is an important challenge. The current review illustrates key advantages in the development of gluten‐free cereal‐based products using different enzymes. The outcome of this article is an effective step toward the development of gluten‐free cereal‐based products for consumer health.

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