Gluten has the ability to impart elasticity to the dough, helping it to rise and maintain its shape, giving the final product a fluffy texture. It is used in many foods as a thickening and binding agent and as a flavor enhancer. When used as an additive in baking, the purpose is to give elasticity to flours that would otherwise have low gluten content, such as whole wheat or rye flour. Additional wheat gluten is almost pure protein with almost no starch.