Applied Food Chemistry

This document provides study material on Applied Food Chemistry. It covers topics such as gluten, different types of flours, and their uses in baking. It also discusses the difference between soft and hard wheat and the flours used in commercial gluten-free breads.

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Running head: Applied Food Chemistry
Applied Food Chemistry
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Applied Food Chemistry
Pre-Practical questions
1. What is gluten?
Gluten is a family of proteins found in grains like wheat, rye, spelt and barley. Gliadin
and glutenin are the two main gluten proteins. Gliadin is the protein responsible for most of the
negative health effects (Bjarnadottir, 2017).
2. Which flours contain gluten?
Barley Flour, Bread Flour, Cake Flour, Instant Flour, Farina Flour or Meal, Pastry Flour,
Rye Flours, Self-Rising flour, Semolina Flour, Spelt Flour and Whole-Wheat Flour also called
graham flour.
3. Which flours do not contain gluten?
Almond flour, Amaranth flour, Buckwheat Flour, Chickpea Flour (Goodson, 2018). Also
known as garbanzo flour or gram flour. Coconut flour, Corn Flour which comes in yellow and
white. Millet Flour, Oat Flour made from ground whole oats. Quinoa Flour, Rice Flour which is
lighter, milder, and easier to digest than wheat flour. Sorghum Flour, a very good substitute for
wheat flour, Soy Flour and Tiff Flour.
Post practical questions
1. Difference between soft and hard wheat. And which flours are ideal for making bread,
pasta, sweet biscuit pastry and cakes

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Applied Food Chemistry
Hard wheat, also known as the strong wheat has higher gluten content of about 12% to
14% which is found in the endosperm of the grain that remains after refining and is bronze in
color. Its dough is elastic which maintains the shape of the baked bread once cooked. The bran
in the wheat flour cuts the gluten strands hence creating a bread product. This type of wheat is
usually used to make bread that is denser and healthier. Soft wheat is also called white wheat.
Unlike hard wheat, the starch content is high and gluten is low. This type of wheat is used to
make products that are tender and crumbly like biscuits. Hence soft wheat is a good choice for
cakes and pastries. It is also used to make fresh pasta and tender noodles.
2. What flours or combination flours are used for commercial gluten free breads?
Gluten free bread is made from flours of grains such as rice and corn. Trader Joe’s Gluten
Free Whole Grain Bread uses whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, rice flour and tapioca
flour while Rudi’s Multigrain Sandwich Bread uses potato extracts, rice starch, rice flour and
sorghum flour. The elastic nature of gluten is what allows the dough to rise and expand. Flours
without gluten does not provide the same elasticity and texture as other bakes goods and they end
up being stiff and stales quickly (Goodson, 2018). Other ingredients such as baking soda, gluten
free baking powder and eggs, due to its high protein content that aids as a binder that results in
goods, therefore cannot crumble. Yolks enhance tenderness and texture while egg-whites
improve volume.

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Applied Food Chemistry
References
Bjarnadottir, A. (2017, June Sat 3). What is gluten, and why is it bad for some people? Retrieved from
Medical News Today: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318606.php
Goodson, A. (2018, May 30). The 14 Best Gluten-Free Flours. Retrieved from Healthline supports:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-free-flours