High molecular weight barley beta-glucan decreases particle breakdown in chapattis (Indian flat breads) during in vitro digestion

The influence of high molecular weight barley beta-glucan on particle breakdown in chapattis during in vitro starch digestion was investigated in this study. Chapattis with 0%, 4% and 8% beta-glucan were prepared by mixing whole-wheat flour with commercially available beta-glucan enriched barley flour (Barley Balance (TM)). There was an inverse relation between the rate of in vitro starch digestion and amount of beta-glucan in chapattis. The rate of starch digestion was influenced by the ability of chapattis to resist particle breakdown. Viscosity of the digests increased with increase in amount of beta-glucan in the chapatti samples and this effect was more pronounced in the absence of pancreatin. It may be concluded that this increase in viscosity and the putative increase in undigested chapatti fragments resulting from the presence of beta-glucan therein might have reduced the rate of in vitro starch digestion. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.