Flours and the Gluten Complex Flashcards
What can Flour be generally defined as?
A fine powder derived from the endosperm of seeds or starchy foods.
What is the difference between white flour and brown flour?
White: made of the endosperm of wheat
Brown: made from the entire wheat kernel (endosperm, germ and bran)
What are the 3 major components of flour?
Starch
Gluten
Proteins
What does starch provides in flours
It provides strength through gelatinization
Define Gluten
Mixture of proteins that do not dissolve in water and form association with one another. Composed of gliadin and glutenin proteins.
What are Gliadin’s characteristics? (4)
FLUID & STICKY
Hydrophilic
Spherical polypeptides
Bonds weakly to one another
What a Glutenin’s characteristics?
ELASTIC
Hydrophobic
Long polypeptide strands
Bonds strongly to one another (sulfide bridges)
Which flour has the most gliadin and glutenin
the notorious wheat flour
What happens during the hydration step of break making with regards to gluten?
Gliadin and Glutenin absorb two times their weight in water
What happens during the kneading step of bread making? (3)
Work the dough into an elastic mass
Expand gluten strands
Distribute yeast
What two additives can interfere with gluten formation
Fat: coats gluten molecules –> prevents clumping
Sugar: hygroscopic (decreases water available for gluten)
What happens to gluten when it is heated?
It coagulates (sets)
Give two characteristics of Celiac Disease
Immune system reaction to gluten
Affects GI tract–> malabsorption
