James Zimmer, age 10, of Monroe, La., for his question:

WHAT IS GLUTEN?

Gluten is a mixture of proteins in wheat and some other cereal grains that helps to make dough rise. Gluten is a tough, sticky, somewhat elastic substance. It is grayish yellow and has almost no taste.

Gluten in wheat flour is composed primarily of two proteins: Gliadin and glutenin. It can be separated from the flour if a dough is made from flour and water and kneaded gently under running cold water. Starch then washes away until only gluten remains.

In breadmaking, the gluten in the dough traps the carbon dioxide produced by yeast. As the gas expands, it stretches the gluten, causing the dough to rise.

The amount of gluten in flour depends on the kind of wheat used. Gluten usually makes up about 88 percent of the protein in bread.