Gluvital®
Vital wheat gluten is the insoluble protein fraction of wheat flour. It stands apart from other plant proteins due to its unique visco-elastic properties
Gluvital® vital wheat gluten is most commonly used in pasta, bakery and flour milling, but is also well suited for snacks, cereals and plant-based meat alternatives.
Key characteristics include:
- Good source of energy (4kcal/g)
- Highly digestible
- Robust protein content (Protein (Nx5.7) on dry basis: 75% min.)
- Visco-elastic
- Film-forming
- Network-forming
- Good water-holding capacity
- Improves mixing tolerance
- Brings structure and texture
Applications and Benefits
Bread
Gluvital® improves dough texture and elasticity, contributes to crumb structure and bread volume, and even extends shelf life.
Benefits
- Increases water absorption & mixing tolerance
- Enhances dough machinability, oven spring and break
- Increases bread volume, aids a fine crumb structure
Breakfast Cereals & Cereal Bars
Gluvital® enhances the nutritional profile of breakfast cereals and cereal bars, while also contributing to texture.
Benefits
- Protein enrichment
- Contributes to binding (in cereal bars)
- Improves chewiness (in cereal bars)
- Excellent extrudability
Other Bakery & Flours
In sweet baked goods, Gluvital® helps stabilize dough and increase volume. In flours, it’s used to boost protein levels.
Benefits
- Stabilizes doughs
- Increases dough volume
- Enhances protein levels
- Strengthens proteins (in flour)
Plant-based meat alternatives
Gluvital® allows to improve texture and overall acceptance of cooked plant-based meat alternatives.
Benefits
- Unique film-forming properties resulting in small fibers in plant-based meat alternatives.
- Brings structure and texture
- Protein fortification
- Optimizes the product stability, texture and flavor of plant-based (vegetarian/vegan) products.
- Improves yield, juiciness and overall acceptance of ready to eat product
Culinary
Gluvital® has plenty to offer a wide range of culinary applications, including batters and breading, noodles and meat analogs.
Benefits
- Provides firmness and cooking stability (in noodles)
- Offers film-forming and adhesive properties (in batters and breading)
- Binds water and contributes to texture (in plant-based meat alternatives)
Processing
Gluvital® vital wheat gluten is produced through a simple series of steps, which include mechanical milling and sifting, water hydration and drying.
According to EU Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, wheat gluten is not intended for direct human consumption (i.e. not "ready-to-eat") without further processing (e.g. cooking, baking, frying) to eliminate or reduce microorganisms to an acceptable level.
Labeling
Gluvital® vital wheat gluten may be labeled as vital wheat gluten, wheat gluten or wheat protein.