The protein content in commercially grown wheat ranges from 6 to 16%.
Increased protein content is nutritionally desirable but, at least in developed countries, it is also important that the protein is of a type which will produce acceptable bread.
In cereals, only wheat has storage proteins that form the gluten network in flour and water dough, which has unique properties of elasticity and strength to produce yeast-leavened bread.
Storage protein comprises 85% of wheat endosperm proteins and consists of gliadin (which is alcohol-soluble) and glutenin (alkali or acid soluble) fractions.
Therefore, gliadin and glutenin are the most abundant in wheat flour, albumin content being about 9%, globulin content being about 5%, prolamin (gliadin) content is being about 40% and glutenin content being about 46%.
Both protein content and protein composition are extremely important determining flour quality.
Protein content in wheat is one of the major factors affecting bread-making and pasta quality.
As protein content increases within a bread wheat variety, its water absorption capacity and loaf volume also increase.
Proteins content in wheat
