Protein in Bread Flour

Yeast breads get their structure and loft from gluten, a combination of the proteins gliadin and glutenin, which are present in wheat flour. When you knead yeast bread dough, you help develop gluten bonds to create the framework that holds the bread together as it rises and bakes. Only wheat flour contains sufficient protein to create the distinctive open-holed texture of good bread, which is why it's so difficult to produce a convincing substitute using gluten-free alternatives such as rice flour.

Protein Content

Regular all-purpose flour has a protein content of between 9 percent and 11 percent, according to Peter Reinhart, author of "Crust and Crumb." Although it's certainly possible to bake bread using all-purpose flour, home bakers will achieve better results using a flour manufactured specifically for use in bread recipes. You may see these on supermarket shelves labeled "bread flour," and they typically have a protein content of 11.5 to 13 percent. "High-gluten" flours can contain as much as 14.5 percent gluten, but Reinhart recommends against using these except in rustic breads because they can produce a "tough and chewy" crumb.

Gluten Development

Gliadin and glutenin must come into contact with moisture to bond, a process facilitated by kneading. Most bread recipes call for five to 10 minutes of kneading. Don't be tempted to skimp on kneading time, or you may end up with a poorly structured, flat and flabby loaf. Conversely, overkneading can result in a loaf that's tough and dry. Proper temperature during kneading is important as well. Reinhart cautions that kneading a dough too long -- usually with an electric mixer -- and heating it above 80 degrees F. can destroy gluten bonds and lead to a failed loaf.

No-knead

In 2006, Mark Bittman created a bit of a buzz in the bread world when he showcased a recipe in "The New York Times" for artisan bread that required no kneading. The difference between the no-knead recipe -- developed by Jim Lahey at Sullivan Street Bakery in New York -- and traditional bread recipes was two-fold. First, the bread requires an unusually lengthy rise of 14 to 20 hours. Second, the dough is extremely wet, sticky and difficult to shape. The moisture content is critical to gluten development. As food scientist and author Harold McGee explained, "The long, slow rise does over hours what intensive kneading does in minutes: it brings the gluten molecules into side-by-side alignment to maximize their opportunity to bind to each other and produce a strong, elastic network. The wetness of the dough is an important piece of this because the gluten molecules are more mobile in a high proportion of water."

Gluten Intolerance

People with celiac disease, otherwise known as gluten intolerance, experience an abnormal immune system reaction when they eat foods containing the proteins in bread flour. Symptoms of gluten intolerance include intestinal discomfort, diarrhea and weight loss, and the disease is associated with other problems such as infertility and joint pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, celiac disease occurs in about 1 in 100 people, and was about four times as common in 2010 as in 1950. Although severe cases can ultimately prove fatal, patients often achieve remission of symptoms by abstaining completely from gluten-containing foods including bread and anything else made from wheat, rye or barley flours.