Barley flour
Also known as: Wholegrain barley flour, Barley meal
Flour from barley (Hordeum vulgare) rich in fibre and beta-glucans; it contains gluten and is blended with durum wheat semolina in some pasta.
Barley flour is flour milled from barley grains (Hordeum vulgare), one of the oldest cultivated cereals. In pasta it is used alongside durum wheat semolina, mainly to add fibre and barley beta-glucans.
Barley is grown widely in temperate climates. Most of the world crop goes to animal feed and to malting for beer and whisky; only a small part is milled for food. For flour, hulled or pearled barley is cleaned and ground; wholegrain barley flour keeps the bran and is greyish-beige, with a mild, slightly sweet and nutty taste.
Barley flour contains about 10 g of protein and about 10 g of fibre per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central). Its gluten proteins (hordeins) do not form a strong dough on their own, so barley flour is mixed with wheat for pasta and bread. Its best-known component is beta-glucan, a soluble fibre: under EU-authorised health claims, beta-glucans from barley contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, with the beneficial effect obtained from a daily intake of 3 g (Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012).
Granoro Cuore Mio is organic pasta made from durum wheat semolina and barley flour rich in beta-glucans; according to the maker, 100 g of dry pasta provide about 7.5 g of fibre and about 3 g of beta-glucans.
Barley contains gluten and is listed among the cereals that must be highlighted on EU labels (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II), so barley pasta is unsuitable for people with coeliac disease. Note that Italian orzo means barley, but orzo pasta is a rice-shaped wheat pasta, not a barley product.
Facts
| Raw material | Ground barley grain (Hordeum vulgare), often wholegrain |
|---|---|
| Country | Grown across temperate regions; in pasta: Italy |
| Main use | Fibre- and beta-glucan-rich pasta, bread, flatbreads |
How it connects to Pasta
Barley flour ← contains ← Pasta from other flours and gluten-free pasta → kind of → 🍝 Pasta
Links
- Where it is found
- Granoro Cuore Mio Linguine n.3, Granoro Cuore Mio Fusilli n.100, Granoro Cuore Mio Farfalle n.198, Granoro Cuore Mio Conchiglie Rigate n.105, Bosco Taiadin Freschi ai 5 Cereali, Granoro Cuore Mio (barley flour rich in beta-glucans), Pasta from other flours and gluten-free pasta
- Part of
- Pasta ingredients and composition
- Similar and different
- Whole wheat flour
Frequently asked questions
Does barley flour contain gluten?
Yes. Barley is one of the cereals containing gluten listed in EU labelling law, so pasta with barley flour is unsuitable for people with coeliac disease.
Is it true that orzo pasta is made from barley?
No. Orzo is the Italian word for barley, but orzo pasta is a small rice-shaped pasta made from durum wheat semolina.
Why is barley added to pasta?
For fibre and beta-glucans. In the EU, beta-glucans from barley may be described as contributing to normal blood cholesterol levels when the diet provides 3 g a day.
What to read next
- Bosco Taiadin Freschi ai 5 Cereali — Bosco Taiadin Freschi ai 5 Cereali: fresh egg pasta cut into ribbons by Bosco (Bosco Pasta Fresca range); ingredients: durum wheat semolina, eggs (18%), wholegrain buckwheat flour (5%), barley (5%), spelt (5%), rye (5%) and oat flour (5%), chestnut flour, water.
- Whole wheat flour — Flour from the whole grain, bran and germ included, used for wholewheat pasta (integrale) with more fibre.
- Pasta from other flours and gluten-free pasta — Wholegrain, spelt, buckwheat, legume, rice and corn pasta; in the EU "gluten-free" means no more than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram.
- Granoro Cuore Mio Linguine n.3 — Granoro Cuore Mio Linguine n.3: long, flat dry pasta shaped like a narrow ribbon by Granoro (Granoro Cuore Mio range, No. 3); ingredients: organic durum wheat semolina and organic barley flour (25%).
- Granoro Cuore Mio Fusilli n.100 — Granoro Cuore Mio Fusilli n.100: short spiral-shaped dry pasta by Granoro (Granoro Cuore Mio range, No. 100); ingredients: organic durum wheat semolina and organic barley flour (25%).
Similar
Durum wheat germ · Fava bean flour · Buckwheat flour · Red lentil flour · Emmer · Quinoa
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central — Barley flour or meal
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — authorised health claims (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, Annex II (EUR-Lex)
- Granoro — Cuore Mio