The increasing use of barley and barley by-products in the production of healthier baked goods

In the past decade, interest in barley as a human food source has increased. The increased interest in barley has coincided with an increase in the prevalence of obesity and increases in chronic diseases such as cancer. Studies have shown dietary fibre to have many health benefits. As barley is an excellent source of dietary fibre, and in particular the functional food ingredient beta-glucan, consumers have become more inclined to increase their utilisation of barley as a source of food. This review looks at the use of barley beta-glucan in foods and the potential scope for their increased use in breads in the future.

► Barley beta-glucan has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, and ranges from 2 to 11% of the total barley grain.
► Barley has been reported to contain a number of essential amino acids, including threonine, valine, lysine and arginine.
► Cereals such as barley and oats have been shown to decrease the chances of developing type-2 diabetes.