Computer Vision Classification of Barley Flour Based on Spatial Pyramid Partition Ensemble.
Lopes JF, Ludwig L, Barbin DF, Grossmann MVE, Barbon S Jr.
Sensors (Basel). 2019 Jul 4;19(13). pii: E2953. doi: 10.3390/s19132953.

Comparison of pasting properties measured from the whole grain flour and extracted starch in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).
Fan X, Zhu J, Dong W, Sun Y, Lv C, Guo B, Xu R.
PLoS One. 2019 May 29;14(5):e0216978. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216978

Physical and textural properties of biscuits containing jet milled rye and barley flour.
Drakos A, Andrioti-Petropoulou L, Evageliou V, Mandala I.
J Food Sci Technol. 2019 Jan;56(1):367-375. doi: 10.1007/s13197-018-3497-z.

The adsorption of α-amylase on barley proteins affects the in vitro digestion of starch in barley flour.
Yu W, Zou W, Dhital S, Wu P, Gidley MJ, Fox GP, Gilbert RG.
Food Chem. 2018 Feb 15;241:493-501. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.09.021

Using Goat's Milk, Barley Flour, Honey, and Probiotic to Manufacture of Functional Dairy Product.
Ismail MM, Hamad MF, Elraghy EM.
Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2018 Dec;10(4):677-691. doi: 10.1007/s12602-017-9316-4.

Rheological Differences of Waxy Barley Flour Dispersions Mixed with Various Gums.
Kim CY, Yoo B.
Prev Nutr Food Sci. 2017 Mar;22(1):56-61. doi: 10.3746/pnf.2017.22.1.56.

Optimization of additive content and their combination to improve the quality of pure barley bread.
Pojić M, Dapčević Hadnađev T, Hadnađev M, Rakita S, Torbica A.
J Food Sci Technol. 2017 Mar;54(3):579-590. doi: 10.1007/s13197-016-2435-1.

Phytochemical Pharmacokinetics and Bioactivity of Oat and Barley Flour: A Randomized Crossover Trial.
Sawicki CM, McKay DL, McKeown NM, Dallal G, Chen C-, Blumberg JB.
Nutrients. 2016 Dec 15;8(12). pii: E813.

Some quality attributes of low fat ice cream substituted with hulless barley flour and barley ß-glucan.
Abdel-Haleem AM, Awad RA.
J Food Sci Technol. 2015 Oct;52(10):6425-34. doi: 10.1007/s13197-015-1755-x

Total antioxidant capacity and starch digestibility of muffins baked with rice, wheat, oat, corn and barley flour.
Soong YY, Tan SP, Leong LP, Henry JK.
Food Chem. 2014 Dec 1;164:462-9. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.05.041.

Effect of barley flour, crude cinnamon, and their combination on glycemia, dyslipidemia, and adipose tissue hormones in type 2 diabetic rats.
Shatwan IA, Ahmed LA, Badkook MM.
J Med Food. 2013 Jul;16(7):656-62. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2012.0083.

Effect of barley flour on the physical and sensory characteristics of chocolate chip cookies.
Frost DJ, Adhikari K, Lewis DS.
J Food Sci Technol. 2011 Oct;48(5):569-76. doi: 10.1007/s13197-010-0179-x

Microbiological and technological characterization of sourdoughs destined for bread-making with barley flour.
Zannini E, Garofalo C, Aquilanti L, Santarelli S, Silvestri G, Clementi F.
Food Microbiol. 2009 Oct;26(7):744-53. doi: 10.1016/j.fm.2009.07.014

Veterinary medicine

Effects of diets containing alfalfa hay or barley flour mixed alfalfa silage on feeding behavior, productivity, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites in lactating cows.
Khadem AA, Sharifi M, Afzalzadeh A, Rezaeian M.
Anim Sci J. 2009 Aug;80(4):403-10. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-0929.2009.00653.x.

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