The history of barley (Hordeum vulgare), a plant belonging to the Poaceae family, is ancient and dates back 10,000 years. Barley has been used since its discovery as a food for humans and animals, an ...

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The history of barley (Hordeum vulgare), a plant belonging to the Poaceae family, is ancient and dates back 10,000 years.

Barley has been used since its discovery as a food for humans and animals, and after:

• rice 332.542 billion$
• corn 191.885 billion$ 
• wheat 168.444 billion$ 

is among the most cultivated cereals in the world with 22.905 billion$ (1).

More recently, some barley cultivars have been selected by brewers to obtain malt.

In barley there are functional ingredients interesting for human health such as beta-glucans, polysaccarids, the main components of the soluble part of dietary fiber. Their characteristic is to facilitate the regular function of the gastrointestinal tract, the homeostasis of glucose and the regulation of energy in the human body (2). They can prevent oncogenesis due to the protective effect against powerful genotoxic carcinogens (3).

But while a high beta-glucan content is positive for human health, the brewing industry that uses malt, needs a low concentration of beta-glucans as high levels can negatively affect malt filtration.

In addition, phenolic compounds found in barley, as well as producing an antioxidant effect in the human body, have probiotic and gastroprotective effects (4).

Another interesting aspect of the other ingredients present in barley concerns the effect that fermented barley extract produces on the colon mucosa. It has been noted that this extract can relieve constipation (5).

With regard to barley flour, the main characteristic concerning human health is the antioxidant property confirmed by numerous studies (6).

Barley flour studies

References_____________________________________________

(1) FAO 2019

(2) Beta-glucans and cancer: The influence of inflammation and gut peptide.  Baldassano S, Accardi G, Vasto S   Eur J Med Chem. 2017 Dec 15;142:486-492. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.09.013.

(3) Effects of beta-glucans on the immune system.  Akramiene D, Kondrotas A, Didziapetriene J, Kevelaitis E. Medicina (Kaunas). 2007;43(8):597-606.

(4) Evaluation of the effect of malt, wheat and barley extracts on the viability of potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria under acidic conditions. Charalampopoulos D, Pandiella SS, Webb C  Int J Food Microbiol. 2003 Apr 25;82(2):133-41.

(5) Laxative effects of triple fermented barley extracts (FBe) on loperamide (LP)-induced constipation in rats.  Lim JM, Kim YD, Song CH, Park SJ, Park DC, Cho HR, Jung GW, Bashir KMI, Ku SK, Choi JS.  BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019 Jun 21;19(1):143. doi: 10.1186/s12906-019-2557-x.

(6) Antioxidant properties and sensory profiles of breads containing barley flour.  Holtekjølen AK, Bævre AB, Rødbotten M, Berg H, Knutsen SH.  Food Chem. 2008 Sep 15;110(2):414-21. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.054

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