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Constitutive differences between steely and mealy barley samples associated with endosperm modification
Author(s) -
Ferrari Barbara,
Baronchelli Marina,
Stanca Antonio M,
Gianinetti Alberto
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.4058
Subject(s) - endosperm , prolamin , conjugate , chemistry , botany , food science , biology , storage protein , biochemistry , mathematics , gene , mathematical analysis
BACKGROUND: Structurally different areas may occur in the endosperm of the barley grain, and they can be visually classified as either mealy or steely. Barleys with a high proportion of grains that are mostly steely often show uneven physical–chemical modification of the endosperm during malting. To study the relationship between steeliness and endosperm modification, two samples of barley cv. Scarlett with contrasting malting quality were analysed. RESULTS: The proportions of steely grains were 77% and 46% in the two samples, which were then defined as steely sample and mealy sample, respectively. The steely sample showed slower modification during malting (in terms of β‐glucan degradation, friability increase, and Calcofluor staining), lower hot water extract (HWE) and acrospire growth, and higher extract viscosity. Endosperm permeation to large molecules (tested with the fluorescein isothiocyanate–dextran conjugate, FITC‐D) closely followed cell wall modification in the steely sample, but this was not so in the mealy sample. CONCLUSIONS: Higher steeliness was associated with higher levels of C hordeins in the grain of barley cv. Scarlett. It is proposed that such hordeins can increase the permeability to large molecules (FITC‐D) but slow modification. Like steeliness and the level of C hordeins, permeability to FITC‐D appears to be more linked to environmental rather than genetic effects. Although a more general association of C hordeins with steeliness of malting barley still has to be ascertained, the negative role of C hordeins in malting quality has been confirmed. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry