Studies of the texture, functional components and in vitro starch digestibility of rolled barley

This study aimed to describe the effects of the cooking condition, including water ratio (WR) and soaking time (ST), on the texture of rolled barley, and to evaluate its β-glucan content, total phenol content and in vitro starch digestibility. Rolled barley (75 g) was soaked in 1.5×, 2.0× and 2.5× weight of aliquots of Milli-Q water at room temperature, for 30 and 90 min, respectively, and then cooked using a rice cooker. Barley and rice were also pearled (polished), cooked and examined. The WR and ST did not affect the adhesiveness of rolled barley but were negatively related to its firmness. Rolled barley and barley had higher β-glucan and polyphenol contents and less starch hydrolysis during in vitro digestion than rice. The starch granules in rolled barley are enclosed by thick cell walls, which may be responsible for its firmness and low starch digestibility.