###### Abstract  
This work aimed to develop high-quality gluten-free bread based on maize and buckwheat with good palatability and texture properties. Different aromatic herbs and spices were incorporated as ingredients to evaluate whether their addition could influence the acceptability of consumers by improving the sensory properties of the final product. The bread formulation was first optimized through a response surface methodology. Accordingly, high specific volume, high springiness, and low hardness provided the best theoretical bread quality. However, when developing the product, some sensory defects were detected. Therefore, the addition of other ingredients (e.g., oil, sugar, and yeast) was tested. Finally, five different gluten-free bread with different combinations of aromatic herbs and spices were obtained. They were nutritionally characterized and subjected to sensory analysis by a panel of 140 consumers. The chemical composition of all bread was very similar, with only slight differences among them. Likewise, all of them received acceptable sensory scores (>5) from consumers, and some combinations of herbs and spices obtained scores higher than in the control bread (without herbs and spices). Overall, the gluten-free bread formulated with the combination of basil and oregano was the one that consumers significantly liked the most. bread; gluten-free; acceptability; chemical composition; textural parameters; sensory evaluation; experimental design; bread-making +
Footnote †: journal: Medical  
gluten-free products revealed that flavor and texture are among the main sensory properties that should be improved in them, as they are not like those in the gluten-containing products [2]. For this reason, efforts are still needed within the food industry to improve the characteristics of gluten-free products. Among the different products, the development of gluten-free bread with suitable sensory acceptance is one of the main challenges within the food industry. Broad is a basic food worldwide. The main ingredients in bread making are flour, water, and, optionally, yeast and salt [3]. It is generally made with flours from cereals that contain gluten (wheat, rye, oats, and barley) since the gluten allows for the creation of a three-dimensional network, which is essential in the baking and dough preparation processes. This network improves the texture and flavor, retains water and fats, preserves the air incorporated during kneading, and improves adhesiveness [4]. For this reason, the preparation of gluten-free bread is not easy due to the absence of the three-dimensional network and the viscoelastic properties provided by gluten. Moreover, it is worth highlighting that the methodology followed to prepare gluten-free bread is different from the conventional bread-making process. For instance, gluten-free doughs need to be placed in baking molds and undergo longer fermentation and baking times than conventional bread due to the higher water content [4]. Additionally, it is necessary to add ingredients that help to replace the gluten properties to achieve characteristics similar to those of conventional bread. Thus, hydrocolloids, such as xanthan gum and psyllium husk, are normally used to replace gluten since they help to improve the structure, viscosity, and elasticity of the gluten-free dough [5]. On the other hand, to avoid flours from cereals containing gluten, gluten-free cereal flour mixtures in different proportions are normally employed. Among these gluten-free flours, the most common are those from maize, rice, and buckwheat [6]. However, despite the industry's efforts to improve processes, the resulting final product does not usually have much sensory acceptability by consumers compared to conventional bread [7]. Accordingly, different strategies have been carried out to improve bread quality.