Summary
This experimental study examined how post-harvest processing—hulling, cleaning, and brushing/polishing—affects the physical and nutritional composition of six grain types (wheat, spelt, oat, barley, common buckwheat, and Tartary buckwheat). The research demonstrates substantial variation in protein, fat, β-glucan, and mineral content among species and grain fractions, with genotype and fraction being significant determinants of composition. Importantly, the polishing process did not significantly alter the nutritional profile of the edible grain fractions studied.
UK applicability
Findings are relevant to UK cereal production and processing, particularly for oat, barley, and wheat cultivation. The demonstration that polishing does not substantially diminish edible fraction nutrition may inform domestic grain processing standards and support evidence-based decisions about whether intensive polishing is nutritionally justified.
Key measures
Protein (22.7–148.5 mg/g), fat (4.5–69.6 mg/g), β-glucan (0.5–54.4 mg/g), macro-elements (K, Mg, P, S, Ca), microelements (Mn, Fe, Zn, Na, Cu, Cr, Mo), thousand kernel weight, kernel width, fractional yield
Outcomes reported
The study measured physical parameters (thousand kernel weight, kernel width, fractional yield) and nutritional characteristics (protein, fat, β-glucan, macro- and microelements) across six grain types and their fractions under different processing treatments. Key finding: species and grain fractions significantly influenced most compositional characteristics, but brushing/polishing had no significant effect on edible fraction composition.
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