Chuqllu: Innovative Sourdough Starters to Reinvent Wheat-Free Baking
The Chuqllu project, led by Maria Cecilia Arias, Associate Professor and a member of the IBSP team, aims to profoundly transform wheat-free and gluten-free baking by leveraging scientific research and fermentation innovation.
Chuqllu – which means sweet corn in Quechua – aims to develop specific, ready-to-use sourdough starters adapted for alternative wheat-free flours, intended for baking and agri-food professionals.
Deeply grounded in practical experience, Chuqllu draws on the unique background of its leader. Maria Cecilia Arias founded and managed the MISKI Gluten Free bakery (2019–2025), where she developed a wheat-free sourdough baking method renowned for its taste qualities similar to traditional bread.
The research and development work will be conducted within the Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF) at the University of Lille, in conjunction with INRAE collaborations on genomic and sensory aspects.
Chuqllu has been selected for the PREPA by Eurasanté program, a key step to structure the project, evaluate its technical and economic feasibility, and prepare its transfer to the industrial sector. Ultimately, the ambition is to leverage these innovations through industrial partnerships, contributing to the emergence of a new generation of fermented, wheat-free, natural, and high-quality breads.
