Gluten is a protein found in certain grains. It is responsible for giving dough elasticity and giving breads and pastries their structure. Some people have gluten intolerances or allergies. An allergy to gluten is called celiac cisease. Specific flours are safe for them to have and others are not.
All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is the most common flour used for cooking. It is used for baking, certain breads, batters, coatings, dumplings and crusts. All-purpose flour is made from wheat and according to Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads, gluten doesn't just occur naturally in wheat. It is actually developed when wheat flours come in contact with liquid causing gliadin and glutenin, the two proteins that create gluten to bond. Gluten is also developed more with kneading.
Other Common Flours
Other flours commonly used for cooking always found in the grocery store are whole wheat flours, cake flour, pastry flour and bread flour. Their gluten contents vary in accordance to the structural needs for them. As states in Food Lover's Companion, cakes are light and delicate with a soft crumb and therefore cake flour has the least amount of gluten from wheat flours. Pastries require a little more structure than cakes and therefore pastry flour has more gluten than cake flour. Whole wheat flour as almost the same amount of gluten as all purpose flour but has more fiber and nutrients. Breads require the most amount of gluten to hold air and contribute to the chewy texture and firm crust, so naturally bread flour has the most amount of gluten. Bleaching does not kill or remove gluten, and therefore there is no difference in gluten between bleached and unbleached flours.
Less Common Flours That Contain Gluten
The Celiac Sprue Association lists different grains and flours and points out which contain gluten. Other flours to be wary of include bulgur wheat, rye, malted barley, graham, kamut, semolina, sorghum, spelt, mir, and triticale. As an extra precaution, certain flours that may not naturally produce gluten might be processed with gluten-containing flours, and those with intolerances or allergies should be wary. Look for labels for a gluten-free guarantee. For example, oats do not have gluten yet are often processed with wheat and only gluten-free brands are safe to use.
Gluten-Free Flours
Many flours are available for gluten-intolerant or gluten-allergic individuals. According to The Celiac Sprue Association, flours that are gluten-free are usually made of rice, corn, beans, nuts, lentils, seeds such as amaranth and quinoa, millet, teff, buckwheat, and tapioca. Some manufacturers even produce all-purpose blends of gluten-free flours tested to create high-quality products. If you are cautious, look for flours with gluten-free on the label to be certain they were not processed with gluten.
References
- "Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads"; Peter Reinhart; 2007
- "The New Food Lover's Companion"; Sharon Tyler and Ron Herbst; 2007
- Celiac Sprue Association: Grains and Flours Glossary
