Functions and Composition Variations of Wheat Glutenin Proteins in Steamed Bread and Noodles

Abstract

As a major food crop, wheat offers indispensable energy and nutrients to humans worldwide. With the living standards rising, the demand of high-quality wheat increases sharply. Wheat gluten proteins (glutenins and gliadins) are important components of seed storage proteins that affect the elasticity, strength or viscosity of dough. In this review, we summarize the composition of glutenin subunits in wheat grain and analyze the impact of glutenin on the traditional Chinese foods: steamed bread and noodles. Furthermore, we summarize the molecular markers used for wheat quality breeding. The advent of the recent wheat genomic will speed up the identification and quality breeding of novel glutenins.