Wheat-based raw materials

Abstract Single compartments of the grains are sources of valuable materials for food and nonfood applications. Starch and gluten, located in the starchy endosperm, are available in native and modified forms and are surprisingly versatile commodities. Starch has become a well-known thickening and binding agent in foods. A considerable portion of starch production is used to make natural sweeteners. In the field of nonfood applications, the main outlets for starch are the paper, adhesive, and textile industries. The major use of gluten is fortification of wheat flour to improve the quality of bread and other baked products. The water-binding and thickening properties of gluten allow the production of many other goods with specific properties. In the nonfood industry, gluten is utilized as additive for coatings, foils, adhesives, and detergents. Although the germ and outer layers (bran) make up only a small portion of the grains, they are widely used for the preparation of plant oil and dietary fiber, respectively. Wheat straw has also found a number of variable utilizations.