Its protein content is above 80%, and its amino acid composition is relatively complete. It is a plant protein source with rich nutrition, high quality and low price. Wheat gluten is mainly composed of gluten with small molecular weight, spherical shape and good ductility, and gluten with large molecular weight, fiber shape and strong elasticity. Wheat gluten absorbs water to form wet gluten with network structure, which has good viscoelasticity, extensibility, heat setting, emulsification and film forming.

Because of its rich natural resources and good economic benefits, gluten has rapidly developed into a worldwide commodity. In the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and other wheat-rich countries, it has been widely used in industry for a long time. There are more and more researches on its utilization and development in Japan, the United States and other countries.

Functional performance

1, viscoelasticity

Gluten molecules in gluten are spherical, with small molecular weight and good ductility, but low elasticity. Glutenin molecules are fibrous, with large molecular weight and high elasticity, but low extensibility. The interaction between them makes gluten have unique viscoelasticity that other plant proteins do not have.

2. Expansibility

Extensibility refers to the performance of stretching gluten to a certain length without breaking, which can be expressed by the maximum length of gluten when it is stretched to break. The ductility of gluten is divided into three grades: gluten with poor ductility, gluten with medium ductility and gluten with good ductility.

3. Film forming property

The film-forming property of gluten is the direct expression of its viscoelasticity. Because of its elasticity, wheat gluten is surrounded by continuous protein phase, such as CO2 or water vapor, and the inside is filled with gas, which makes the gluten spongy or fibrous, forming film-like gluten.