Cereals proteins

The cereals are the most important food crop in the world; the proteins of maize, rice, and wheat are the most popular energy food. Since the world demand for food is constantly increasing, minor cereals and pseudocereal proteins are gaining more and more attention. They have been utilized from ancient times for the production of local traditional foods; now, they are introduced on international markets as innovative products and healthy foods. Cereal proteins are mainly stored in the endosperm, the largest portion of the seed, and are traditionally classified in albumin, globulin, prolamin, and glutelin. This chapter highlights the impact of cereal proteins on functional properties for food processing, since the bulk of all cereals, with the exception of rice, are consumed in processed foods.