BETA-GLUCAN ENRICHMENT OF BARLEY FRACTIONS BY AIR CLASSIFICATION AND SIEVING

Barley (Steptoe, Crystal and/or Waxbar) was dry milled and fractionated by small scale air classifiers and batch or continuous feed sifters to produce beta-glucan-rich fractions. Sieving of barley (all cultivars) yielded fines fractions containing 88-90% starch and a final coarse enriched fraction containing 40-45% total dietary fiber including 16-19% beta-glucans and up to 82 mu g/g total tocols. The enriched fraction was 20-25% (by wt) of the dehulled barley. The highest beta-glucan content by air classification was 9% due to ineffective separation of fines (particles <45 mu m). Dry fractionation of barley produced a value added enriched product enhanced in factors (ie. tocols, dietary fiber, beta-glucans) which slow oxidation, lower cholesterol, moderate glycemic response and which provide unique functional properties in food systems.