YURONG, BERNADETTE B.

BSND-1A

Assignment: Flour and Flour Mixture

1.Why is wheat the grain of choice for flour products?

-The gluten-forming properties of wheat make it the most commonly milled grain and the
major source of flour for bread making. The only other flour that comes close to wheat flour in
utility for producing baked goods is rye, but even then it has to be mixed with about one fourth
wheat flour.

2.What is gluten? What is the purpose of gluten formation? What groups of individuals need
to avoid gluten in their diet and why? What alternative flour products can they use instead?

-Gluten. Other components in flour that play an important role in the structure of bakery items
are the proteins that form gluten. These proteins, as well as those from eggs, contribute to the
firming of the flour mixture, whereas sugar and fat act as tenderizing agents. The ability of a
baked product to rise is directly related to its protein content. Because wheat flour has the
highest concentration of the proteins that form gluten, it yields baked products with light, airy
textures and is, therefore, most often preferred over other flours for baking.

-The Purpose of Gluten Formation. When flour is mixed with water, an elastic network forms
when two types of proteins in flour, gliadin and glutenin, combine to yield the protein complex
gluten. Gluten is both elastic and plastic. Its ability to expand with the inner pressure of gases
such as air, steam, or carbon dioxide results from the combination of glutenin’s elasticity and
gliadin’s fluidity and stickiness. Bread dough rises as the gas resulting from the yeast or other
leaveners, as well as the air bubbles entrapped in small pockets by kneading, expands and
stretches the gluten strands upward and outward. Then, during the temperature rises of
baking, steam along with the expanding gases of carbon dioxide and ethanol cause the gluten
to expand further. Th e baked product’s structure sets when the heat from baking coagulates
the proteins and gelatinizes the starch. If the oven door is opened frequently or if baking is
stopped prematurely before these processes can occur and set the structure, the steam may be
released from the gluten complex, causing the baked product to partially collapse. In cakes and
other pastries, gluten formation is not desired because it will result in a tough texture. Gluten
formation is partially controlled in cake batters by using a low-viscosity batter with a high liquid
content, rather than a high-viscosity dough.

- In susceptible individuals, an immune response is triggered by gluten—especially by α-gliadins,

a fraction of gluten containing a segment of 33 amino acids that is incompletely digested by the
natural enzymes in the digestive tract. Celiac disease is thought to result from the degradation
of gluten in the bowel by enzymes called transglutaminases. These enzymes cause a
deamidation reaction of the gluten protein, which changes the shape of the protein and allows
it to be recognized as a “foreign” molecule by immune cells. The molecules in our immune
system responsible for recognizing gluten as a “foreign” particle are called class II
histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQ2 and DQ8. Once these particles recognize the
altered gluten protein as “foreign,” they stimulate immune cells, called T cells, to cause
inflammation.

Celiac disease is an immune disorder in which the body creates antibodies to gluten, a
protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some other grains. The resulting inflammation
damages the surface of the intestinal wall, eventually causing the villi (fingerlike projections
important for absorption) to become “flattened” in appearance. Symptoms include abdominal
bloating and pain, chronic diarrhea or soft stools, fatigue, weight loss, and, in infants, failure to
thrive (growth in weight or height does not follow averages for their age). Celiac disease
increases risk for thyroid problems, eye inflammation, myocardiopathy (damage to the heart
muscle), defective tooth enamel, intestinal cancer, and possible “brain fog”. Chronic
malabsorption can result in malnutrition.

In the United States, the time between the symptoms’ first appearance and diagnosis
averages 10 years because celiac disease mimics many other diseases; but in Italy, where celiac
disease is more common, the diagnosis takes less than a month. Celiac disease is genetically
transmitted and tends to run in families of European descent (especially Irish), those with
diabetes (8%), and those with Down syndrome (12%), and is also known to be triggered by
surgery, pregnancy, viral infection, or severe stress.

Approximately 1% of the U.S. population—about 1 in 133 Americans—has celiac

disease, with an average age at diagnosis of 40–50 years. Currently, the only treatment for
celiac disease is to eliminate gluten sources from the diet.

3.Compare and describe what may happen when you bake a cake and add too much or too
little of the following ingredients: flour, chemical leavener, sugar, salt, milk, butter, eggs.

- Too Much/Too Little Flour. Too much flour results in a lower volume, an increased number of
“tunnels,” and a drier, tougher crumb. A baked product made with insufficient flour often has a
course texture and a weak, possibly collapsible, structure.

- Too Much/Too Little Leavening. Excess leavening results in a baked product that falls, and has
a low volume and/ or a coarse texture. Adding more than the required amount of SAS-
phosphate powder can result in a bitter taste. Too much baking soda or pockets of baking soda
created by inadequate mixing with the dry ingredients will cause the production of residues of
sodium carbonate, resulting in a soapy flavor and discolored brown or yellow spots. This excess
alkalinity can also affect the flavor of chocolate and turn its color slightly reddish, although the
color change is desirable when preparing devil’s food cake. Too little leavening results in a
compact, heavy baked product. Unfortunately, this can also occur when the baking soda or
powder has lost its potency through exposure to moisture or storage for over 6 months.
- Too Much/Too Little Sugar. Baked products made with too much sugar may fall, and may
have a lower volume, a coarse grain, a gummy texture, and an excessively browned crust.
Dough is considered sweet if it contains more than ½ cup of sugar per 3½ cups of fl our (1¼
ounces sugar per cup of flour). Too little sugar results in dryness, reduced browning, lower
volume, and less tenderness.

- Too Much/Too Little Liquid. Excess liquid may result in a very moist baked item with low
volume. Too little liquid may produce a dry baked product that is low in volume and stales
quickly.

- Too Much/Too Little Fat. Excess fat makes a batter too fluid, weakens its structure, and
decreases the volume of the finished product. Too little fat makes a batter resistant to
expansion during leavening and results in a tougher crumb.

- Too Much/Too Little Egg. Excess egg causes a tough, rubbery texture in the baked product.
Too little egg causes insufficient volume, and inferior structural strength, color, flavor, and
nutrient content.