Transglutaminase

Transglutimanase:

"[A] recent study has shown that this enzyme acts on the gliadin proteins in
dough to generate the peptides responsible for triggering the coeliac response
in susceptible people."

Andrew Whitley, Bread Matters, 2006, pp 281-2.

The study Whitley refers to was published in 2005. The authors suggested that transgutimanase be removed from bread products until more research was done. As far as I can find out so far, that has not happened. Can you find out whether your daily bread contains tranglutaminase? Not by looking on the label; tranglutaminase is an enzyme and enzymes do not have to be declared on bread ingredient labels.

Learning about transglutaminase is just one of the valuable things for me about reading Whitley's bread book. As a bread enthusiast with candida issues and a son with raised IgG levels, the possibilities for eating bread which tastes great and is easier to digest and lower in yeast is very attractive. Hence my sourdough project. I'm hoping it becomes a regular part of our cooking and eating life. One of the other attractions of long rise sourdough is the minimal kneading required. At risk of sounding like a decrepit old hag, I do find I get arthritic type pain in my joints if I knead bread for a long time.

Today we have tasted two breads made from my rye sourdough. I've put the rest of the starter into another batch of what I'm learning to call production sourdough which is now in the hot water cupboard until tomorrow. Of course I will be able to keep some of that back for the next batch of bread, but in the spirit of obsessive enthusiasm, I think I'll try making a wheat sourdough starter as well. There is a recipe for a starter using chickpea flour which I fancy making but have banned myself from temporarily. Artekana bread, that one is.