Gluten composition, modification, and applications in gluten-free food: A review

Gluten, a storage protein found in cereals such as wheat, barley, and rye, is considered a high-quality plant protein resource. Gluten has been widely used in the food industry due to its nutritional value and functional properties, but the gastrointestinal adverse reactions it causes have raised concerns. Gluten-free diets are currently the primary dietary solution, but they suffer from drawbacks such as nutritional imbalance, high costs, and poor texture. Therefore, research shifting from gluten-free foods to modified gluten protein foods is necessary. Current research on gluten modification still faces many limitations, such as the inability to completely reduce its allergenicity and the resulting damage to its structural and functional properties. This review outlines gluten-related disorders and corresponding food solutions to elucidate the hazards of gluten-related disorders, the drawbacks of gluten-free foods, and the application prospects of modified gluten. It also highlights a current research gap in modified gluten: how to effectively reduce gluten allergenicity while maximizing the retention of its key functional properties (such as viscoelasticity). Finally, this review proposes the potential for maximally preserving functional characteristics through the combined application of several methods, providing a theoretical basis for developing gluten protein foods with low allergenicity and excellent nutritional and textural properties.