Physical and nutritional evaluation of hulled and Hulless barley

Abstract

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a versatile cereal crop with rich nutritional content, making it a valuable food grain. This study evaluated the physical and nutritional properties of hulled and Hulless barley varieties. Physical parameters including size, thousand kernel weight, bulk density, true density, porosity, and specific gravity were measured. Proximate analysis was conducted to determine moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and total carbohydrate content. Results showed that hulled barley had higher length, bulk density, and porosity, while hulless barley exhibited greater width and true density. Hulless barley had higher moisture content (8.01%) than hulled barley (6.33%). Hulless barley had higher fat content (up to 3.25%) compared to hulled barley. Protein content was higher in hulless barley (14.23%) than in hulled barley (12.35%). Hulled barley had higher fiber content (4.17%) compared to hulless barley (2.43%). Carbohydrate content was higher in hulled barley (72.56%) than in hulless barley (69.62%). These findings provide valuable insights into the physical and nutritional characteristics of barley varieties, which can inform food product development and enhance the utilization of barley in various food products.