ABSTRACT
Barley is recognized as a unique substrate in the malting and brewing industry. A barley seed produces fiber in the hull, pericarp, and the cell walls of the aleurone and starchy endosperm. Barley fiber can be a byproduct of other processing or one of the primary products from dry or wet milling. Pearling barley grain removes the outer layers, which contain much of the cellulose and arabinoxylan found in barley. Resistant starch can be enhanced in some types of barley through heat and chemical processing. The effect of barley insoluble fiber in the digestive system has been clearly documented in both animal and human studies. Barley soluble fiber is also associated with increased fat and cholesterol excretion from the digestive system. The role of barley fiber in reducing risk of colon cancer has not been studied extensively. The wide range of fiber products available from barley suggests that food applications would be diverse.
