Summary on the Method of Measuring the Quantity and Quality of Wet Gluten in the Wheat Flour                                                               

This method is to measure the quantity and quality of wet gluten with Gluten Washing Instrument and Gluten Index Determinator.

Wet gluten is a kind of elastic-plastic material which can be gotten by washing wheat flour dough with Gluten Washing Instrument. And it is composed of wheat prolamine and aleuronat

Wet gluten from wheat flour by washing then will be put into the index box and centrifugalized in standard conditions so as to make it get across the standard screen mesh of the index box. And then we respectively collect remaining gluten above the screen mesh and below the screen mesh. And the total weight of all gluten collected should be the quantity of Wet gluten. And the weight of wet gluten remaining above the screen mesh versus the weight of total wet gluten should be the Gluten Index.

If the gluten is too soft, then all gluten should get across the screen mesh and the Gluten Index should be 0. If there is no gluten getting across the screen mesh, then its Gluten Index is 100.

The greatest advantage of measuring quantity and quality of the gluten in the wheat flour with Gluten Index Method is: short measuring time, about 10 minutes; and small sample, only 10 grams. Currently, it has been widely used in purchasing, breeding, warehousing, flour-making, baking, food and dry gluten processing and other industries.

Gluten Index Method has unique features and can be used to classify commercial wheat. For Example: wheat with similar protein and glassiness can have different characteristics. But it is easy and quick to use Gluten Index Method to classify them.

Gluten Index Method can be used to measure the quality of wheat flour. The cubage of the bread and the absorption of the water are determined by the quantity and quality of the gluten. Generally, good quality gluten makes big bread cubage.

Gluten Index Method can be used to determine thermal damage and warehouse insect damage of the wheat.Overheated wheat can cause transmutation of protein and decrease the rate of wet gluten versus dry gluten (protein) and demolish the capability of forming gluten. And insect damage can generate a kind of enzyme which can weaken gluten quality.. And thermal damage and insect damage of the wheat can not be determined with protein content measuring method.

Gluten Index Method can be used in starch and wheat gluten processing industry to check procured material and control manufacturing process.

This instrument is used together with Gluten index tester(Gluten centrifugal instrument) and Gluten drying instrument.