Progressive Pearling of Barley Kernel: Chemical Characterization of Pearling Fractions and Effect of Their Inclusion on the Nutritional and Technological Properties of Wheat Bread

Two hulled varieties were sequentially pearled for 1 to 8 cycles, each with 5% removal. The derived fractions were analyzed for their bioactive compound content. The dietary fibre (DF) decreased from the external to the internal layers, while β-glucans showed an inverse trend. Deoxynivalenol contamination was concentrated in the outer layers. Total antioxidant activity (TAA) was higher in the 15-25% fractions, which was used to prepare bread. Five mixtures of refined wheat flour with an increasing replacement of this pearled barley fraction were compared with a control for the bioactive compound content, the rheological and physical bread properties. The inclusion of pearled fraction up to a 10% substitution lead to a clear enhancement of the DF and TAA, with only minor detrimental effect on physical parameters. Selected by-products of barley pearling could be proposed as functional ingredients for bakery products rich in DF and TAA