How is Gluten Manufactured?

To obtain gluten, flour is mixed with water and the starch is washed out. This process is completed commercially and a great deal of care is needed to maintain the baking quality of gluten.

First step: The flour and water are mixed together. The resulting dough is left to rest to allow the protein components time to absorb the water.

Second step: The dough is then conveyed into long horizontal water filled tank containing screw-type conveyors, which knead the dough until all the starch is suspended in the wash water.

Third Step: All that remains between the screws is the gluten mass which is then forced through fine openings, chopped into small pieces and dried in a hot turbulent air stream ready for bagging.

There are different strengths of commercial gluten – stronger glutens are usually a grayish green colour while weaker glutens are yellow. Commercial gluten is available as either a dried powder or in a wet form

The approximate composition of dry gluten is: