Week 4 – Black Milo
The older wheats have fewer chromosomes than modern wheats do, so older wheats and modern wheats have very different genomes. The base pairs in a cell’s DNA code for the production of various amino acids. These amino acids join to form various proteins. It makes sense that a different genome coding for different amino acids would result in the formation of different proteins. Some specific proteins are the cause of gluten allergies, and their production is different in older wheats vs. modern wheats.
Sorghum bicolor is high in protein but does not contain the problematic proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. This makes it an ideal source of protein for people with gluten intolerances.