BIOCHEMISTRY LAB ACTIVITY NO.

5
Gluten –Making Activity

Name: Palada, Reizel Grace D. Date: October 25, 2021

Note:

Document this activity by creating a vlog for it. Have 2 copies of it when you’re done vlogging. One
copy will be submitted to the Files section of our ms teams inside the folder for this activity, and the
other one is yours to cherish.

If the data size of your video is too big for our ms teams, you may upload it instead to Youtube, then
send me the link.

Thank you

Title: HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN

Introduction

Gluten is that gummy coagulated protein from wheat formed by denaturation. There are two ways to
make gluten: one, is adjust the pH of the wheat-water mixture and use its isoelectric point to “force”
gluten to separate from wheat (because when a protein is in this state, it is least soluble in water and
tends to precipitate), or to just use mechanical method, kneading in this case, to denature protein and
make it coagulate and separate from the rest of the wheat by using water.

Wheat is composed of carbohydrates, protein and other minor components. When protein coagulates,
it becomes gummy and insoluble in water. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, remain soluble. Thus,
you can separate the protein part of wheat by coagulating it (by kneading) and subsequently washing
the kneaded wheat in running water to dissolve the carbohydrates component and, in the process,
separate the insoluble gluten.

Wheat gluten is a really versatile “vegetarian” ingredient. It is also called seitan (pronounced /ˈseɪtæn/),
wheat meat, gluten meat, or simply gluten. Seitan is popular among vegetarian and macrobiotic eaters
as a vegetarian meat alternative to tofu based products. For some people, it is their preferred meat
substitute.

Your objectives in this activity is to make a gluten and to fry it to try its taste. All you need is flour to
knead into a dough, water to wash the dough and oil to fry the gluten. Be confident about making this
on your own because it is extremely easy, not to mention healthy, as you are making it in your own
kitchen. Moreover, it is quite an experience to make it for the first time as you will be amazed at how
the dough transforms into a rubbery texture (gluten) after washing it in running water.

Materials

Wheat Flour (1/2 kg)

Table salt (1 teaspoon)
Water

Gluten-Making Procedure
 Place the wheat flour into a suitable bowl for kneading. Add salt.
 Gradually add water as you knead the flour into a dough and let it stand for 2 hours covered by
a piece of moist cloth
 Wash the dough. With the dough resting in a bowl, place bowl in kitchen sink and turn on the
tap. Allow water from tap (medium flow) to run into the bowl and start kneading dough in the
running water. Yes, keep kneading and washing the dough. The water will turn milky as the
starch will be washed away but keep kneading. The dough will eventually shrink to about 20% of
its original size and it will feel rubbery.
 Keep kneading till the water becomes clear. Remove and drain. The soft solid substance is your
product gluten.
 Take photo of the finished product and send it to our Messenger GC.
Using the Finished Product
 Fry your finished product. Add condiments of your choice.
 Taste it when you’re done. What can you say about its taste? Do you like it?

Honestly, at first, I was hesitant to taste it because of its smell like a rice grain. When I taste the
fried gluten with condiments of my choice, it’s not that really but. In fact, it tastes great, though
you can really taste something wheat.

Conclusion
What have you learned from this activity? Did you enjoy it? What can you say about your final product?
(Do not say it here. Rather, say it in your vlog for this activity.)

Thank you for enjoying this activity. God bless you. Stay safe.