<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

The heat damage referred to concerns the functional properties of the gluten
in breadmaking, but the type of damage that occurs will have no effect on
the amino acid sequences in the gluten proteins that cause problems for
celiac patients. Heat damaged wheat will remain toxic for celiac patients.
It will not, however, have good quality for making leavened products such as
yeast breads. The effect likely has to do with changes in the molecular
weight distribution of the polymeric glutenin fraction or possibly in the
degree of branching of the polymers, which incorporate gluten proteins as
monomers through intermolecular disulfide bonding.

Don Kasarda
Albany, California

>I have been given an extract from Farmers Weekly, a UK magazine aimed at the
>farming community, issued on 2 August 1996. The article is about heat damage
>to wheat, I quote
>"Over-drying will effectively destroy gluten and the end-result is a loaf
>that does not rise."
>
>The author was concerned about the general market, but if the statement is
>correct, then would wheat, and other cereals become safe for coeliacs if the
>grains were subjected to a high temperature?
>
>Judy