High protein flour made from hard grain wheat (10-14% protein content) are and low protein flours made from lower -protein wheat (5-10% protein content) are “soft wheat”.
Low protein flour produces fine and evenly textured cake, while high protein wheat produces a bread loaf with good crumbs structure.
Wheat flour proteins can be divided into two broad groups, the gluten and nongluten proteins. Nongluten proteins include primarily albumins and globulins (AG), which are considered mainly metabolic proteins but may have some role in breadmaking.
According to the Codex Alimentarius, “gluten is a protein fraction of wheat, rye, barley, or their crossed varieties and derivatives thereof, being insoluble in water and NaCl 0.5 mol/L”. Gluten proteins (gliadins and glutenins) have been recognized as the major components responsible for variations in breadmaking characteristics.
It is generally accepted that gluten proteins are one of the most important factors determining the baking quality of wheat flours. The higher the protein content, more gluten it has, the more strength it has. Gluten proteins are storage proteins and classified into gliadins soluble in aqueous alcohol and glutenins soluble in aqueous alcohol only after reduction of disulfide bonds.
High protein flour – produced from hard grain wheat
