New research in Food Chemistry shows that higher atmospheric CO2 shifts wheat protein composition. Ten winter wheat varieties grown at 546 ppm CO2, roughly the level projected for coming decades, had more amylase/trypsin inhibitors and less gluten protein than wheat grown at current CO2. The gluten drop was linked to poorer baking quality, while the rise in ATIs, proteins tied to wheat sensitivity, could matter for human health. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology and TUM note that cultivar choice made a big difference. Some varieties held up better than others, which points to breeding as the practical response. As CO2 rises from about 425 ppm today toward 600 ppm by 2050, wheat quality needs as much attention as yield.
