Browsing by Subject "pearling"

Most barley is used for animal feed or malting. However, barley contains technologically and nutritionally valuable components. The compositions of different barley cultivars as well as the factors affecting the concentrations of different nutrients (beta-glucan, protein, starch and ash) were surveyed in the literature part of this Master’s thesis. Special attention was paid to beta-glucan as it has attained significant interest in the food industry due to its positive health effects. In addition, the effect of grain composition on the pearling, milling and air classification properties of barley were surveyed. The nutrient composition and milling properties of ten different barley varieties were examined in the experimental part of the thesis. The varieties were divided into four subgroups based on their potential end usage: 1) speciality barley, 2) feed barley, and 3) starch barley, and 4) malting barley. The milling properties were analysed by sieve analysis and volumetric particle size distribution from the whole grain barley flours. In addition, coarse fractions were separated from the whole grain flour by air classification. These fractions were also analysed by the abovementioned particle analyses. Beta-glucan, protein and ash concentrations were usually higher in the speciality barley varieties and their coarse fractions. Starch concentrations were lower in these varieties and fractions. Feed and starch barleys had somewhat higher beta-glucan concentration compared to malting barleys, which respectively had the highest starch concentrations. Zero to 25 % of the grain’s outer layers was removed by pearling. Compositional analyses revealed that pearling decreased the amount of ash and increased the concentration of starch and betaglucan until about 15 % of the grain was pearled off. Starch and beta-glucan concentrations did not change significantly after this pearling level. Pearled barley flour was manufactured by pearling off 15–20 % of the grain’s outer layers, and milling the remaining pearled grains with a fine impact mill. Flour was then air classified to give fine and coarse fractions. The coarse fractions contained enriched concentrations of beta-glucan, protein and ash. However, their concentrations and yields were dependent on the speed of the classifier wheel. By contrast, starch was enriched in the fine fractions. The highest beta-glucan concentration was obtained with the beta-glucan-rich speciality variety D, which initially had 9.4 % beta-glucan. The beta-glucan concentration was enriched up to 11.4 % by pearling. Air classification of whole grain flour resulted maximally in 13.5 % and air classification of pearled grain flour in 15.5 % beta-glucan concentration. Based on the results, the beta-glucan concentration of the raw material seems to play the most important role in the enrichment. However, proper milling technology and air classifier settings are of utmost importance.