Impact of Soaking and Germination Processes on Starch and Non-Starch Polysaccharides in some Egyptian Barley Cultivars

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of soaking and germination processes on free sugars, starch and non- starch polysaccharides contents of selected Egyptian barley cultivars. Three barley grain cultivars, namely, Giza128, Giza130, and Giza 2000, were investigated. Reducing, non-reducing and total sugars content were increased in all treated barley samples as affected by soaking and germination processes. Starch content of raw barley grains being 59.42, 65.30, and 45.74 % in Giza128, Giza130, and Giza 2000, respectively, while β-Glucan content recorded 4.01, 4.76 and 3.54 %, respectively. Pentosans content in untreated barley samples was 5.09, 3.29 and 4.53% of the same varieties, respectively. Soaking (12 h) for these grains decreased starch, β-Glucan, pentosan content by 2.9-5.3, 5.0- 7.6 and 2.4-6.7%, respectively. Also, germination process had a great efficiency role on the starch and non- starch polysaccharides of selected barley grains. A large number of negatively valued components in the grains such as starch and, β-Glucan, pentosan contents of barley decreased prolonging germination time. After 96h of germination, starch, β-Glucan, pentosans content of barely grain samples was decreased by 27.3-32.0, 41.0- 42.7 and 33.6-36.0%, respectively. So this study recommended that, the produced flour from soaked and 48h-germinated barley grains increase their nutritional and therapeutic properties can be used to produce improved functional foods.