AZE.US
Gluten-free bread in Baku is being sold for 6-9 manats, roughly $3.50-$5.30, making it significantly more expensive than regular bread.
The product has become more visible in stores and bakeries as interest in healthy eating and special diets grows. But specialists say the price is not only a result of consumer trends.
Baker Samir Yusifov said gluten-free bread is most often made from rice, buckwheat and corn flour. Other versions are prepared with almond or chickpea flour. The weight of one loaf or order usually ranges from 500 grams to 1 kilogram, depending on the customer’s request and the type of product.
The main reason for the higher price is the production process. Unlike wheat flour, rice, corn and buckwheat flour are more difficult to work with. The dough is harder to shape and requires more careful handling.
Food specialist Seymur Gafarov also pointed to the cost of raw materials and limited production volumes. He said some gluten-free flour is imported, sold in smaller packages and requires stricter handling.
For people with gluten sensitivity, the issue is not just the label on the package. Such products should undergo laboratory testing, and their gluten-free status should ideally be confirmed by certificates from internationally accredited organizations.
That is why gluten-free bread in Baku remains a costly dietary product: the ingredients are more expensive, the technology is more demanding, production volumes are smaller and safety requirements are higher.
AZE.US