What is Gluten?

About Gluten:

• It is a protein found in the wheat plant and some other grains.
• Many cereal grains — but in particular barley, wheat, and rye — contain specific proteins that, when mixed with water and kneaded, create an elastic mass. 
• Two important types of these proteins are gliadins and glutenins. At the microscopic level, gluten is an elastic mesh of the protein molecules.
• It is naturally occurring, but it can be extracted, concentrated and added to food and other products to add protein, texture and flavor.
• It also works as a binding agent to hold processed foods together and give them shape.
• It allows the dough to rise and gives it its chewy character.
• The ability of gliadins and glutenins to create gluten makes them prized ingredients in the food industry.
• Issues of Gluten
  • An enzyme called protease helps digest proteins but it cannot break down gluten. When such gluten reaches the small intestine, the body can develop gastrointestinal problems.
  • Coeliac disease: It’s characterised by a severe allergic reaction in the small intestine, prompting the immune system to produce a large number of antibodies that attack the body’s own proteins. The disease is present in around 2% of the general population.