Gluten

Gluten is a group of storage proteins — mainly glutenin and gliadin — found in wheat, rye, barley, and their crossbred varieties. When flour is mixed with water, these proteins form a stretchy, elastic network that gives bread its structure, chewiness, and ability to rise. Without gluten, dough cannot trap the gas produced by yeast, and baked goods would be flat and crumbly instead of light and airy.

In the food industry, gluten strength is one of the most important quality parameters of wheat flour. Strong flours with high gluten content are used for bread, while weaker flours suit cakes and pastries. Vital wheat gluten — a dried, concentrated form — is added to improve dough performance in industrial bakeries. At the same time, gluten-free products have become a fast-growing market segment, driven by demand from people with celiac disease, wheat sensitivity, or dietary preferences. Alternative flours from rice, corn, buckwheat, and chickpea are used to replace wheat in these formulations.

Learn more about gluten — including its role in baking, flour quality testing, and gluten-free alternatives — in the articles below.