Food Barley – products and possibilities Patrick Hayes Dept. Crop and Soil Science Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon USA

1.What barley was 2.What barley is 3.What barley could be

First crop domesticated (?) Beer Hulls and necessity/utility The environment and income in Europe Food for gladiators and the poor The limited rise of hordeins The tradition in North America Beef and barley soup Naked grain and geographic specificity Andes, Himalayas, North Africa Regional foods and traditions What barley was

Feed Default commodity product Under-appreciated and under-valued Hulls have some benefit for ruminants Beer The economic driver Approaching niche crop status Hulls for filtration: the way it is, not the way it has to be Food A limited acreage staple Andes, Himalayas, North Africa A very limited acreage novelty Europe, North America What barley is

Europe, North America, and beyond: Obesity, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, Type II diabetes, heart disease Dietary fiber can be part of the solution and whole grains are great sources of fiber Barley an optimum source of dietary fiber (beta glucan) Meeting the fiber need with barley: what’s not to like? Easy fit into farming systems Easy to process Easy to breed Varieties available/in the pipeline What barley is

Why such potential but so little economic traction? 1.Timing: the gluten-free craze 2.Oats: filling the beta glucan niche 3.Distinctiveness: Not that different from other grains 4.History and preconceptions: feed, poverty food 5.Low esteem and price: rocks are worth more! What barley is

What barley could be “Snack foods aren’t just about crunch and craving anymore. Consumers are asking for healthier options that don’t compromise the snacking experience. Sustagrain®, the highest- fiber whole grain, can help. This proprietary variety of barley has a balanced blend of insoluble and soluble fibers, with the highest level of beta-glucan and the lowest glycemic index of any grain.” What’s right and wrong with this strategy?

What barley could be What’s right and wrong with this picture?

A whole new type of wheat – just in time to deal with climate change! Drought tolerant Early maturing Nitrogen use efficient High fiber Broad adaptation Economic yields All types of starches Rainbow of colors Interesting and unique flavors and aromas What barley could be

A whole new type of wheat – just in time to deal with climate change! What barley could be

What does it take for barley to be the new wheat? Create a framework: Go naked: Farewell to hulls. Who needs them? Cellulose is cheap and abundant Wort can be filtered “Honest” yield data What barley could be

What does it take for barley to be the new wheat? Recognize and address the “negatives” If people are healthier and eat less, there less money to be made in health care and food sales If people eat more barley, they’ll eat less of other grains Recipes and formulations will require some changes If wheat “works”, why “fix” it? Someone needs to pay for variety, product, and market development What barley could be

What does it take for barley to be the new wheat? Suggested operating procedures: The ~ 7% solution: Modest beta glucan is fine for whole grains. Leave concentration to bacteria and algae Look for solutions to the barley gluten/risen bread problem Complex with other proteins? Edit the genome? Solutions to the cooking time issue Cracking, pre-cooking New products Tsampa anyone? What barley could be

What does it take for barley to be the new wheat? The take-home message We need foods that are nutritious, tasty, cost-effective and the reduce long-term costs to society: Healthy and happy today, lower health care costs and sustained markets tomorrow. Analogous to ecosystem services, reducing carbon footprints. What barley could be