page_title: Wheat gluten (food)
section_title: Western
hierarchical_section_title: Wheat gluten (food) / Forms / Western
caption_attribution_description: English: Inside Veganz, a vegan supermarket, Schivelbeiner Straße 34, Berlin. Nearest U- and S-Bahn station = Schönhauser Allee.
context_page_description: Wheat gluten is a food made from gluten, the main protein of wheat. It is made by washing wheat flour dough with water until all the starch granules have been removed, leaving the sticky insoluble gluten as an elastic mass, which is then cooked before being eaten.
  The name seitan is now widely used in vegetarian, vegan, wholefood and macrobiotic circles for wheat gluten dishes.
  Wheat gluten is an alternative to soybean-based foods such as tofu, which are sometimes used as meat analogue. Some types of wheat gluten have a chewy or stringy texture that resembles meat more than other substitutes. Wheat gluten is often used instead of meat in Asian, vegetarian, Buddhist, and macrobiotic cuisines. Mock duck is a common use for wheat gluten.
  Wheat gluten proteins are deficient in lysine, which is an essential amino acid.
  Wheat gluten first appeared during the 6th century as an ingredient for Chinese noodles. It has historically been popular in the cuisines of China, Japan and other East and Southeast Asian nations. In Asia, it is commonly found on the menus of restaurants catering primarily to Buddhist customers who do not eat meat.
context_section_description: Since the mid-20th century, wheat gluten (usually called seitan) has been increasingly adopted by vegetarians in Western nations as a meat alternative. It is sold in block, strip and shaped forms in North America, where it can be found in some supermarkets, Asian food markets, health food stores and cooperatives.
  The block form of seitan is often flavored with shiitake or portobello mushrooms, fresh coriander or onion, or barbecue sauce, or packed in a vegetable-based broth. In strip form, it can be packed to be eaten right out of the package as a high-protein snack. Shaped seitan products, in the form of "ribs" and patties, are frequently flavored with barbecue, teriyaki, or other savory sauces.
  Wheat gluten is also used in many vegetarian products in various countries, for example by The African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, a vegan African-American religious sect that operates a chain of restaurants, to produce vegetarian sandwiches. In North America, there are several brand-name meat alternatives, which are used in the restaurant and food service markets.
caption: A wide range of mock-meat products, based on wheat gluten or tofu, are sold at Veganz stores in Germany and in other European countries
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