Sprouted Hulless Barley Grains and their Application Possibilities for the Functional Sweet Snacks Development

Abstract

Currently, consumption of confectionery continues to grow, and there is a tendency to supplement snacks with ingredients that can be considered as functional products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of sprouted barley grains and their potential use in barley-fruit-vegetable snack production. Several samples of sweet bars with hulless barley variety ‘Kornelija’ flour and sprouted, crushed barley grain, dried fruit and vegetables were prepared. The chemical composition including the concentration of biologically active compounds (total concentration of phenols, flavonoids and tannins, as well as antioxidant activity) of untreated and sprouted grains was determined. The results showed that protein concentration of barley-fruit-vegetable bars varied from 8.65% to 10.85% and ß-glucans concentration varied from 0.77% to 2.19%. Their nutritional value varied from 1079.33 to 1430.41 kJ. Total fibre concentration of unsprouted, 24 h and 36 h sprouted grains was 26.30%, 25.80%, and 24.60%, respectively. Total phenol concentration of unsprouted barley grains was on average 273.14 mg·100 g−1 and flavonoid concentration was 290.25 mg·100 g−1, and for sprouted grains — 258.98 mg·100 g−1 and 256.19 mg·100 g−1, respectively. The evaluators preferred bars made from ground sprouted hulless barley grains ‘Kornelija’ — 7.4, according to the sensory analysis — hedonic scale.