Vital wheat gluten is isolated from hard wheat flour by natural wet-processing techinques and followed by a delicate flash drying process. The product retains the vitality or viscoelasticity of wet gluten before the drying step. It provides strenght and elasticity, increases volume, and improves the texture of breads, buns dinner rolls and other yeast-leavened products. It also imparts firmness to pasta and noodles and is used to enhance the protein content of breakfast cereal and snacks.