Gluten testing

The Brabender Glutograph-E can be used for testing the rheological quality of wheat gluten. Gluten quality refers to the stretching and elastic properties of washed, wet gluten and of dry vital gluten when mixed with water to a dough consistency.

The Glutograph-E provides a quick test method with immediate results regarding the gluten quality of flour, enabling improved accuracy in predicting the baking performance of flour.

The easy to use device features the latest measuring electronics and a touch-screen display for convenient operation. It also has a USB port which enables convenient printing or data storage. The integrated computer program has both measuring and results evaluation software capabilities.

The results are objective and reproducible for both wet and dried gluten.

The measuring system of the Glutograph-E primarily consists of two parallel, round corrugated plates mounted opposite each other at a fixed distance, which provides a defined sample volume and reproducible sample geometry when the sample is placed between the plates. The constant force, or shear stress, imposed on the sample during the testing period stretches the sample. The lower plate is deflected either quickly or slowly against the upper plate, depending on the gluten quality. This shear angle (deflection) is recorded as a function of time. Once the sample has reached a predetermined deflection point the sample is then released and subsequently recovers according to its elasticity. The stretching and elasticity qualities of the sample can be attained in <1 min.

Approximately 2 g of sample is required to complete the test. As the plates close, the surplus dough is squeezed out from the defined gap between the plates. As such, the required sample volume and a reproducible sample shape are consistently achieved when testing the gluten quality.