Bioscience Methods 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 70-82 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/bm 70 Research Insight Open Access Innovative Approaches in Wheat Starch and Gluten Separation: Techniques, Functional Modifications, and Emerging Applications Li Ao, Guoyun Ling, Meiqin Xue Changxing County General Station of Agricultural Technology Extension and Service, Changxing, 313100, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: 1004938994@qq.com Bioscience Methods, 2025, Vol.16, No.2 doi: 10.5376/bm.2025.16.0008 Received: 15 Feb., 2025 Accepted: 25 Mar., 2025 Published: 04 Apr., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Ao et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Ao L., Ling G.Y., and Xue M.Q., 2025, Innovative approaches in wheat starch and gluten separation: techniques, functional modifications, and emerging applications, Bioscience Methods, 16(2): 70-82 (doi: 10.5376/bm.2025.16.0008) Abstract This study analyzes the separation technologies of wheat starch and gluten, including wet separation, dry separation, and emerging technologies such as ultrasound-assisted separation, enzymatic separation, microfluidic separation, and the synergistic separation of electric and magnetic fields. The advantages and limitations of different methods are discussed in detail. Additionally, the impact of separation processes on the functional properties of starch and gluten is explored. The study finds that combining ultrasound and enzymatic methods can effectively improve separation efficiency while reducing damage to the protein and starch structures. Furthermore, the study summarizes functional modification technologies, such as physical (microwave, γ-rays), chemical (esterification, oxidation), and biological (enzymatic hydrolysis) modifications, and their role in optimizing the functionality of wheat starch and gluten. The emerging applications of these modifications in fields such as food, environmental materials, and biomedicine are also analyzed, including low-GI foods, biodegradable packaging, and biomaterial scaffolds. This study provides scientific evidence and necessary references for the separation and high-value utilization of wheat starch and gluten. Keywords Wheat starch; Gluten; Separation technologies; Functional modification; Green processing 1 Introduction Wheat is one of the most widely planted food crops in the world, not only a staple food for people, but also an important industrial raw material. In the process of wheat processing, the two key components separated - wheat starch and gluten (gluten protein) - are widely used in various fields such as food, medicine, and even construction. High purity wheat starch, with thickening, gel and stabilization functions, is an important source of food thickeners, as well as an important raw material for bioplastics and pharmaceutical excipients. The unique viscoelasticity of gluten allows it to play a critical role in baking, plant-based foods, and functional protein products (Van Der Borght et al., 2005; Day et al., 2006). At present, with the increasing application of wheat starch in food thickeners, bioplastics, adhesives, and pharmaceutical excipients, the demand for high-purity starch in the market is also continuing to grow. At the same time, improving separation efficiency can not only obtain purer starch, but also minimize gluten contamination. The efficient separation and purification of starch and gluten has become an important step in enhancing the processing value of wheat and achieving product customization (Peigabardost et al., 2008). However, traditional separation techniques such as wet grinding are not efficient and the separation effect is not ideal. Therefore, researchers are gradually turning their attention to more advanced and intelligent new separation technologies. In recent years, some innovative separation technologies have gradually entered people's vision, such as the "shear flow migration technology", which can greatly improve separation efficiency and product purity (Peigabardost et al., 2008). In addition, new treatment methods such as "water phase ozone modification" have also shown the potential to change the structure and function of gluten, and can be customized to meet the needs of different industries (Fan et al., 2024). Not limited to wheat, Al-Hakkak and Al-Hakkak (2007) also proposed a method for extracting starch and gluten from non wheat plants, which provides new ideas for the cross species application of separation technology and the comprehensive utilization of plant resources.
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