Abstract
New research has shown that foods containing whole-grain barley or certain dry-milled ingredients from barley have cholesterol-lowering effects similar to those seen for certain oat foods. The US Food and Drug Administration therefore allows whole-grain barley and certain dry-milled barley fractions to claim a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. A new Swedish study has been performed with a specific boiled, flaked and milled barley product, Aktivated Barley®, mixed into cold drinks. This study showed a reduction in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects. There is therefore enough evidence for an extension of the generic health claim in the Swedish Code on health claims about certain types of dietary fibre, with regard to blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease, to include barley fibres. The extension should also include foods with both oat and barley fibres, since there is no reason to believe that the mechanism(s) behind the cholesterol-lowering effect differ between the two cereal fibres. Keywords: Barley; cholesterol; dietary fibre; ?-glucan; health claim
Highlights
Aman PFood and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high total cholesterol levels and high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and that scientific evidence shows that adding whole-grain barley (dehulled or hull-less) or certain dry-milled barley products to food can contribute to lowering serum cholesterol
New research has shown that foods containing whole-grain barley or certain dry-milled ingredients from barley have cholesterol-lowering effects similar to those seen for certain oat foods
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high total cholesterol levels and high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and that scientific evidence shows that adding whole-grain barley or certain dry-milled barley products to food can contribute to lowering serum cholesterol
Summary
FDA concluded that risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high total cholesterol levels and high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and that scientific evidence shows that adding whole-grain barley (dehulled or hull-less) or certain dry-milled barley products to food can contribute to lowering serum cholesterol. The FDA approval was based on a health claim petition submitted by the National Barley Food’s Council, including 11 human clinical studies Six of those were, excluded from the review by the FDA for various reasons. The primary objective was to determine the effect on LDL-cholesterol level after 4 weeks of consumption in comparison to placebo, which was an instant flour with added cellulose. Both products contained about 11% total dietary fibre. The conclusion of the study was that the studied population was likely to achieve health benefits by reducing their LDL and total cholesterol levels when consuming the processed barley product
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