Physicochemical characteristics and in vitro bile acid binding and starch digestion of β-glucans extracted from different varieties of Jeju barley.

Physicochemical properties of six different varieties of barley and their β-glucans were evaluated along with in vitro bile acid binding and starch digestibility for health beneficial effects. β-Glucan concentrations in less-hulled, beer, black, waxy-naked, naked, and blue barley were 3.44, 3.46, 6.08, 6.75, 6.45, and 5.91%, respectively. Viscosity of waxy-naked barley flour was the highest. While the yield of β-glucan from waxy-naked barley after extraction was 95.49%, less-hulled barley was 70.09%. As the increase of β-glucan purification, in vitro bile acid binding was increased when compared with cholestyramine and cellulose. In vitro starch digestibility of barley flour and the mixture of potato starch with β-glucan were increased by heat and β-glucan concentration. Estimated glycemic index (GI) calculated based on in vitro starch digestibility was decreased by increasing β-glucan. These results suggest that the physicochemical properties of barley were dependent on the variety of barley and especially β-glucan was involved.