Barley grain non-starch polysaccharides with malting and nutritional significance.

Abstract

Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), (arabinoxylans and beta-glucans), a main component of cell walls of barley grain, are a limiting factor for the utilization of barley production. Arabinoxylans are formed by (1→4)-ß-D-xylanopyrosyl units substituted with a-L-arabinofuranose. Arabinoxylans are esterified by ferulic acid. Beta-glucans are formed by ß-(1→3),(1→4)-D-glucans, ß-(1→4) linkages account for ca 70 %, ß-(1→3) for the remaining 30 %. NSP concentration in a barley grain is mainly affected by a genotype, growing environment and intensity of vegetation treatment. NSPs can be a cause of technological and economic problems encountered during brewing. However, their content can be reduced by the addition of relevant hydrolytic enzymes. On the other hand, the NSPs form a valuable component of dietary fiber that helps lower LDL cholesterol and glucose level in blood, insulin response to meal, body weight, blood pressure, risk of heart disease and colon cancer, simultaneously they alleviate the course of type II diabetes. As a prebioticum, they create an unsuitable environment for the growth of pathogenic bacterial species. Based on scientific data, the European Commission issued Regulation no. 1048/2012 authorizing a health claim of effects of beta-glucans on human health.Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), (arabinoxylans and beta-glucans), a main component of cell walls of barley grain, are a limiting factor for the utilization of barley production. Arabinoxylans are formed by (1→4)-ß-D-xylanopyrosyl units substituted with a-L-arabinofuranose. Arabinoxylans are esterified by ferulic acid. Beta-glucans are formed by ß-(1→3),(1→4)-D-glucans, ß-(1→4) linkages account for ca 70 %, ß-(1→3) for the remaining 30 %. NSP concentration in a barley grain is mainly affected by a genotype, growing environment and intensity of vegetation treatment. NSPs can be a cause of technological and economic problems encountered during brewing. However, their content can be reduced by the addition of relevant hydrolytic enzymes. On the other hand, the NSPs form a valuable component of dietary fiber that helps lower LDL cholesterol and glucose level in blood, insulin response to meal, body weight, blood pressure, risk of heart disease and colon cancer, simultaneously they alleviate the course of type II diabetes. As a prebioticum, they create an unsuitable environment for the growth of pathogenic bacterial species. Based on scientific data, the European Commission issued Regulation no. 1048/2012 authorizing a health claim of effects of beta-glucans on human health.

Keywords

• arabinoxylans
• beta-glucans
• spring barley