glutenlike

Glutenlike is a descriptive term used in biology and food science to denote substances that resemble gluten in composition, structure, or functional properties. The term typically refers to proteins or protein-like materials that can contribute dough-like viscoelastic behavior or share features with gluten, namely, the ability to absorb water, form cohesive networks, and trap gas during fermentation, even when they are not wheat gluten.

In cereal chemistry, glutenlike proteins include the prolamins and glutelins found in grains other than wheat, such as secalins in rye, hordeins in barley, and avenins in oats. These proteins can influence dough handling and crumb structure in some contexts, and they may elicit gluten-related immune responses in susceptible individuals. In gluten-free baking, researchers explore glutenlike ingredients and processing aids to imitate gluten's network, using hydrocolloids, enzymes, and proteins from legumes or seeds to improve elasticity and gas retention.

Outside food applications, glutenlike also appears in studies of biomaterials and adhesives, where glutenlike networks are engineered from plant or microbial proteins to mimic gluten's mechanical properties. Because glutenlike is a descriptive term rather than a formal category, its precise meaning depends on context and the properties being compared. Regulatory labeling about gluten content remains tied to established definitions of gluten and gluten-containing ingredients.