b'Editing Gluten WithoutFOR DECADES,gluten has been central to wheat\'s value in the marketplacethe driver of dough strength, elasticity and reliable Breaking Bread performance in the kitchen. But for people with celiac disease, those same proteins present health challenges. As consumer needs evolve, the grain industry is increasingly being asked to consider traits beyond yield and baking quality.UC Davis researchers are advancing wheat byAt the University of California, Davis, plant removing its most reactive gluten proteins andbiologists are taking on this challenge. Their work focuses on removing the most reactive gluten maintaining dough strength, unlocking newcomponents while preserving the traits that enable potential for performance and health. wheat to grow and bake well. The goal is simple: make wheat safer without compromising what By Sarah Harris, Seed World Contributor makes it wheat.Proof in the FlourThe study targets a specific cluster of alpha-gliadin genes, the gluten fractions most closely associated with severe immune responses. Using gamma radiation to delete these sequences, the UC Davis team produced experimental lines that still had strong dough performance but fewer of the problematic proteins."We actually got improved bread-making quality, which is not expected, considering gluten is a main component of making bread," remarks Maria Rottersman, the study\'s lead author and UC Davis doctoral student in plant biology. "And these proteins are some of the worst triggers for most [people with] celiac disease, so this is a win-win in terms of finding a genetic modification that ben-efits both producers and consumers."34/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2026'