Instructions

1. Asses the gluten strength of the flour by determining if the flour is made from hard or soft wheat. Flour made from hard wheat is higher in protein, producing more gluten when mixed with water. Alternatively, soft wheat has more starch and produces lower amounts of gluten. For example, bread flour is made from hard wheat, cake flour from soft wheat and all-purpose flour is a blend of both.

2. Identify whether or not the flour has been chemically treated. Look for the words "bleached" or "unbleached." For example, bleached flour undergoes a chemical whitening process that lightens the color of the powder and reduces gluten strength; unbleached flour is chemical-free.

3. Calculate the percentage of protein in the flour by consulting the nutrition label on the bag or box of flour. USDA food label guidelines list the protein content of flour per 100 grams. Convert the grams into a percentage to calculate whether or not the flour is high or low in protein. For example, bread flour with 12 grams or 12-percent protein is considered high; cake flour with 9 grams or 9-percent protein is considered low.

4. Figure out the components of the wheat by looking for the words “whole grain” or “whole wheat” listed on the label. Flour made with the whole grain contains the bran, germ and endosperm of the wheat. Unless otherwise specified, most flour is milled by separating out the other components of the grain, leaving behind just the endosperm.

5. Look for the word “enriched” listed on the nutrition label or on the front label of the flour. Vitamins added to enriched flour include iron, thiamin, niacin and riboflavin. In the U.S., all cornmeal is enriched, and yellow cornmeal contains more naturally occurring vitamin A than white meal.

6. Determine whether or not the flour is gluten free according to the kind of grain used to make the flour. All flour made from wheat contains enough gluten to form bread.