Abstract:

In order to improve wheat gluten solubility using ultrasonic technology to the greatest extent, crucial factors, affecting protein concentration of wheat gluten suspension, which were confirmed by single factor method were optimized using three-level orthogonal array design. Results indicated that ultrasonic pulse amplitude was the most significant factor, followed in turn by pulse “on” and “off” time cycle, ultrasonic treatment time and pH value; a maximum solubility of wheat gluten of 51.12 mg/ml was achieved through the following optimum treatment procedure: wheat gluten suspension at pH 4.5 was subjected to 120 s ultrasonic treatment by 40 s pulses at intervals of 20 s with a pulse amplitude of 60%, which was 18.4 times as high as that of untreated wheat gluten.

Key words: wheat gluten, ultrasonic technology, solubility