Use of Barley in Development of a Functional Product with Low Glycaemic Index
(2021) KNLM01 20211Food Technology and Nutrition (M.Sc.)
- Abstract
- Diet is considered one of the key factors contributing to an increased risk of developing diabetes type 2. The rising prevalence of this condition is alarming and highlights the urgent need for effective nutrition-based strategies to alleviate an impending health crisis. As reoccurring hyperglycaemic episodes have been linked to an increased risk of becoming a diabetic, there is an opportunity for the food industry to use food innovation tools to develop foods that encourage blood glucose control, consequently improving consumer health. Research has shown that a meal comprising of barley kernels promotes low blood glucose levels after three consecutive meals. In line with these findings, Glucanova AB has developed a product prototype based... (More)
- Diet is considered one of the key factors contributing to an increased risk of developing diabetes type 2. The rising prevalence of this condition is alarming and highlights the urgent need for effective nutrition-based strategies to alleviate an impending health crisis. As reoccurring hyperglycaemic episodes have been linked to an increased risk of becoming a diabetic, there is an opportunity for the food industry to use food innovation tools to develop foods that encourage blood glucose control, consequently improving consumer health. Research has shown that a meal comprising of barley kernels promotes low blood glucose levels after three consecutive meals. In line with these findings, Glucanova AB has developed a product prototype based on whole grain barley kernels and bioprocessed oat bran to take advantage of their health-promoting traits.
This project evaluates the physiological effects of the prototype in a pilot intervention trial. The product was analysed for its impact on acute glycaemia, starch digestibility and amount of b-glucan.
The prototype significantly lowered the postprandial blood glucose at breakfast in comparison to the reference product (p < 0.05), as evident by iAUC (0–180 min). Based on a palatability questionnaire distributed amongst the study participants, the served prototype has a low acceptance.
The secondary aim was exploration of in-pack pasteurisation with a focus on pre-treating the kernels to subsequently pasteurise the product by microwaving. Soaking was chosen as a hydrothermal pre-treatment ahead of the pasteurisation to soften the kernels. A range of soaking conditions was tested, resulting in a summary that can be used as a reference when choosing the optimum conditions. During in-package pasteurisation, an issue of foam formation was identified. The bioprocessed oat bran was discovered to contribute to the foaming. The solution was provided by re-formulation and pre-treatment; specifically, the pH was altered, flavour powder was added, and additional heating was applied. Foam reduction allowed for successful pasteurisation, and the product was subsequently refrigerated for 30 days and evaluated. Characterisation of the pasteurised samples allows the preliminary conclusion that in-pack pasteurisation is suitable as long as foaming is prevented.
The outcomes of this research give good basis to continue the product development and suggest that nutritional research findings can be translated into commercial use. By investigating the physiological effect of the lab-scale prototype and establishing a pre-treatment compatible with in- pack pasteurisation, a technique available at large scale production, the study at hand contributes to the development of a product that has positive effects on postprandial blood glucose and brings the product closer to launch. (Less) - Popular Abstract
- Overnight porridge 2.0 with even more prominent health benefits
For years, breakfast has been advertised as the most important meal of the day, but what makes a good one? With growing awareness of diet-linked diseases, comes the consumer demand for greater availability of health-promoting food products, to ensure a balanced diet and avoid disease risk. Cereals make up a large share of our population’s daily diet, whether it is breakfast or a quick and convenient snack as they are a source of easily available carbohydrates. However, excessive consumption of refined grains has been linked to an increased blood sugar level outside the normal range, in turn increasing the risk of developing a lifelong condition like diabetes type 2. In... (More) - Overnight porridge 2.0 with even more prominent health benefits
For years, breakfast has been advertised as the most important meal of the day, but what makes a good one? With growing awareness of diet-linked diseases, comes the consumer demand for greater availability of health-promoting food products, to ensure a balanced diet and avoid disease risk. Cereals make up a large share of our population’s daily diet, whether it is breakfast or a quick and convenient snack as they are a source of easily available carbohydrates. However, excessive consumption of refined grains has been linked to an increased blood sugar level outside the normal range, in turn increasing the risk of developing a lifelong condition like diabetes type 2. In opposition to this, foods high in dietary fibre and resistant starch have been found to offer a controlled blood sugar level without large fluctuations often produced by highly refined grains.
Despite being the fourth most grown grain in the world, its long heritage, and the health benefits, merely 2% of barley is utilised in food applications. Meanwhile, this underappreciated yet highly nutritious cereal has the potential to provide a unique property of providing slow energy release in a similar manner that a humble oat porridge does. Slow energy release is parallel to a well- balanced blood sugar level. To take advantage of barley’s nutrition and make it accessible to consumers, in a ready to eat form, Glucanova AB developed a plant-based breakfast product prototype, resembling an overnight porridge, based on whole grain barley kernels and bioprocessed oat bran - a combination of two cereals to maximise the health benefits on blood sugar. The effect elicited by the prototype on blood sugar level was evaluated on a small group of human subjects when served at breakfast. The prototype resulted in a reduction of 46% on blood sugar levels compared to a rice pudding – the research reference product.
Since the product successfully stabilised glucose levels, the study proceeded to investigate how to bring this product one step closer to the market. It tested in-pack pasteurisation which is applied to ensure safety of the product. A pre-treatment in the form of soaking was investigated to soften the kernels before pasteurisation. During the subsequent microwaving of the product, foaming occurred. Evaluation of the potential causes allowed to address the foaming and provide a solution. Subsequently, 30-day long storage was carried out, which suggested that the product is stable after such period.
The knowledge about the physiological effect of the breakfast product and its large-scale production process gathered in the project are contributing to the further development of the product and bring it closer to the supermarket shelfs. It may be a product that disrupts the breakfast sector and puts a bigger emphasis on the blood glucose levels of all people not just diabetics. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9063287
- author
- Tokarska, Diana Ewa LU
- supervisor
-
- Ana Rascon LU
- organization
- course
- KNLM01 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- barley, oat, glycaemic index, blood glucose, applied nutrition
- language
- English
- id
- 9063287
- date added to LUP
- 2021-08-19 11:58:11
- date last changed
- 2021-08-19 11:58:11
@misc{9063287,
abstract = {{Diet is considered one of the key factors contributing to an increased risk of developing diabetes type 2. The rising prevalence of this condition is alarming and highlights the urgent need for effective nutrition-based strategies to alleviate an impending health crisis. As reoccurring hyperglycaemic episodes have been linked to an increased risk of becoming a diabetic, there is an opportunity for the food industry to use food innovation tools to develop foods that encourage blood glucose control, consequently improving consumer health. Research has shown that a meal comprising of barley kernels promotes low blood glucose levels after three consecutive meals. In line with these findings, Glucanova AB has developed a product prototype based on whole grain barley kernels and bioprocessed oat bran to take advantage of their health-promoting traits.
This project evaluates the physiological effects of the prototype in a pilot intervention trial. The product was analysed for its impact on acute glycaemia, starch digestibility and amount of b-glucan.
The prototype significantly lowered the postprandial blood glucose at breakfast in comparison to the reference product (p < 0.05), as evident by iAUC (0–180 min). Based on a palatability questionnaire distributed amongst the study participants, the served prototype has a low acceptance.
The secondary aim was exploration of in-pack pasteurisation with a focus on pre-treating the kernels to subsequently pasteurise the product by microwaving. Soaking was chosen as a hydrothermal pre-treatment ahead of the pasteurisation to soften the kernels. A range of soaking conditions was tested, resulting in a summary that can be used as a reference when choosing the optimum conditions. During in-package pasteurisation, an issue of foam formation was identified. The bioprocessed oat bran was discovered to contribute to the foaming. The solution was provided by re-formulation and pre-treatment; specifically, the pH was altered, flavour powder was added, and additional heating was applied. Foam reduction allowed for successful pasteurisation, and the product was subsequently refrigerated for 30 days and evaluated. Characterisation of the pasteurised samples allows the preliminary conclusion that in-pack pasteurisation is suitable as long as foaming is prevented.
The outcomes of this research give good basis to continue the product development and suggest that nutritional research findings can be translated into commercial use. By investigating the physiological effect of the lab-scale prototype and establishing a pre-treatment compatible with in- pack pasteurisation, a technique available at large scale production, the study at hand contributes to the development of a product that has positive effects on postprandial blood glucose and brings the product closer to launch.}},
author = {{Tokarska, Diana Ewa}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Use of Barley in Development of a Functional Product with Low Glycaemic Index}},
year = {{2021}},
}