Barley for Food and Health: Science, Technology, and Products

PEARLED AND OTHER FORMS OF BARLEY
PEARLED AND OTHER FORMS OF BARLEY 167
In Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries, barley has been used as a rice extender
for many years, especially when rice was in short supply. When rice was
plentiful and cheaper, there was less demand for barley. In recent years, however,
the health implications for barley have renewed interest in barley as a rice
extender (Ikegami et al. 1996). In Korea, the word bob means cooked rice, and
a mixture of barley and rice is called barley bob. It is usually prepared by partially
precooking pearled barley to be added to rice being cooked (B.-K. Baik,
personal communication). In some cases the barley grains are split in half to
equalize cooking times (Yang et al. 1999). It is the personal experience of the
authors of this book that brown rice and pearled barley require about the same
cooking time and can be cooked together. The same is true for white rice and
Quick Barley, a product available in North America (The Quaker Oats Company,
Chicago, Illinois). Thus, an Americanized version of barley bob provides
enhanced soluble fiber for any use of rice in meals.
Edney et al. (2002) investigated the pearling quality of 25 Canadian barleys
for potential use as rice extenders to meet market demands from Asia. The quality
factors evaluated included pearling times, color of pearled grains, steely kernel
counts, and crease width. In general, waxy genotypes produced higher-quality end
products. The L* brightness value was a good predictor for kernel whiteness as
well as endosperm texture, and the particle size index as measured by the single
kernel characterization system was an indicator of kernel texture. Klamczynski
et al. (1998) examined two nonwaxy hulled and two waxy hulless barleys that
were abraded at different levels. Barley kernels were evaluated for properties that
relate to quality for use as a rice extender. Nonwaxy barleys differed in degree
of seed coat removal by abrasion; with resulting differences in maximum water
imbibition due to soaking over time. The extent of starch gelatinization during
cooking was measured. Barleys abraded to a greater degree allowed water and
heat to penetrate more quickly during cooking. The results of this study illustrated
that abrasion degree affects the cooking quality of kernels.
Bulgur, a semi-whole-grain product traditional in the Middle and Near Eastern
countries, can be produced from barley as well as from wheat (Köksel et al.
1999). Bulgur can be cooked and served like rice, combined with meat as a main
dish, or made into a cold salad called tabbouleh. Three Turkish barley cultivars
were soaked, cooked, and dried. Grains were then dehulled, cracked, and sieved
to remove fine particles. The resulting bulgur was analyzed for nutritive value
and found to have increased β-glucan (about 5%) and lowered levels of phytate
phosphorous, suggesting better bioavailability of certain minerals such as zinc.
Tarhana is a traditional food from the Middle East and Eastern Europe made
from whole-meal ground wheat or barley and then prepared into a sort of dried
soup mix. In Turkey, flour is mixed with yogurt, yeast, chopped vegetables, and
spices. The mixture is allowed to ferment for up to seven days, then spread into
sheets and dried, traditionally in the sun. After drying, tarhana keeps very well
as a staple food product. Erkan et al. (2006) prepared tarhana with three barley