Authors
F MacRitchie, H Singh
Description
Gluten proteins consist of two main groups–gliadins and glutenins, in roughly equal proportions. Gliadins are single-chain proteins with molecular weights in the range 30,000 to 70,000. Glutenins are multiple-chain proteins with molecular weights above 100,000 and thought to extend to tens of millions 2, 3. When gliadin is mixed with starch and water, a purely viscous material is formed and there is no development stage as in a normal dough. In contrast, glutenin, provided it is above its glass transition temperature, forms a rubbery material with low extensibility,. The elastic properties that appear in a dough during mixing and are reflected in the development stage measured by a recording dough mixer, are due to glutenin. It is only when gliadin and glutenin are present together that optimum properties suitable for leavened products is obtained.