Go With the Grain; Barley could be big in your future diet

Food scientists are working to transform the snack and bread aisles in our supermarkets. And they want to make the leap using a grain that is widely grown in Canada and is a nutritional powerhouse with all kinds of potential health benefits -- barley.

"Although barley is not considered a staple food or even a major food ingredient in the average North American diet, it is consumed on a daily basis in other parts of the world," says Nancy Ames, who works for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

The majority of barley grown in North America is used for animal feed and malting for beer and ale. But in Tibet, hulless barley has been a staple food ingredient for centuries. There, barley flour is used to make a number of foods from traditional products to popular Asian noodles.

Barley is a nutritional powerhouse that is high in fibre, beta-glucan, phenolic antioxidants, vitamin E and B-complex vitamins. Some studies suggest it provides a number of health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, plus a boost to the immune system.

"When popped and spiced, the nutty flavour and satisfying crunch lend themselves well to snacking or used as an alternative to nuts in baking or salads," says Ames. "The unique textures in some barley varieties are extremely suitable to use in ready-to-eat snacks or as a replacement for nuts in sweet confections."

Her team has also developed a process for "minute barley," a quick-cooking whole-grain product that could replace quick-cooking rice, which has reduced nutritional value as it is highly processed

This product can be used in salads, tacos, desserts, pilafs, tabbouleh, risotto and other dishes.

Another barley-derived creation Ames has developed is a tortilla made from 100 per cent barley flour and considered a healthier alternative to flour or corn tortillas.
Unlike wheat tortillas, which often contain preservatives, no other ingredients besides water are required to make them, she says.

Although it is not a whole grain, "pot" barley, unlike pearl barley, undergoes a minimal amount of refining that leaves some of the bran and germ intact.

Ames says that Japan is "way ahead of us" in processing barley into ready-to-use food products.

Although there has been some commercial interest in developing food products from barley by several Canadian companies, she says "we need a manufacturer to pick up on this."
"As whole-grain foods increase in popularity, so does consumer demand for products with real nutritional benefits, short preparation time and good taste," says Ames.