Influence of germination on bread-making behaviors, functional and shelf-life properties, and overall quality of highland barley bread

In this study, the impact of highland barley germination on bread-making performance, shelf-life, and nutritional value was evaluated. Highland barley was germinated for 24, 48, and 72 h. Results showed that germination produced a functional bread with significantly enhanced nutritional value, as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Consuming 100 g of germinated highland barley bread per day provides the required minimum daily intake of β-glucan and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (3 g, 100 mg/respectively). Excessive germination (48 and 72 h respectively) negatively affected the formation of the gluten network, which decreased flour water absorption, dough development time, and stability. Additionally, LF-NMR results suggested that germination decreased T21, T22, and T23 populations during storage. This study confirmed that germination under controlled conditions for 24 h could improve bread quality and properties. Significantly, bread made with germinated barley (24 h) had the best impact on bread-making performance, shelf-life, sensory attributes, and overall acceptability.