Durum

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum) is the only tetraploid species of wheat widely cultivated today. Durum is the hardest of all wheats. Its high protein content and gluten strength make durum good for pasta and bread. It is not, however, good for cakes, which should be made from soft wheat or they will be tough, because of the high gluten content of durum.

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Most of the durum grown today is amber durum, the grains of which are amber-colored and larger than those of other types of wheat. Durum has a yellow endosperm, which gives pasta its color. When durum is milled, the endosperm is ground into a granular product called semolina. Semolina made from durum is used for premium pastas and breads.

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There is also a red durum, used mostly for livestock feed.

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Durum wheat sells at a premium to other varieties and accounts for roughly 5% of global wheat production. Most durum wheat is grown in Mediterranean countries, the former Soviet Union, North America, and Argentina. U.S. durum production is mainly in North Dakota, which produces 73% of the US crop.

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Tetraploid: REDIRECT polyploidy...

Protein: A protein (in Greek πρωτεϊνη = first thread) is a complex, high-molecular-weight organic compound that consists of amino acids joined by peptide bonds. Proteins are essential to the structure and function of all living cells and viruses....

Gluten: Gluten is an amorphous ergastic protein found combined with starch in the endosperm of some cereals, notably wheat, rye, and barley. It constitutes about 80% of the proteins contained in wheat and is composed of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is responsible for the elasticity of kneaded d...