Effect of Soaked Barley Flour Incorporation in Whole Wheat Flour on the Nutritional Characteristics and Acceptability of Flat Bread (Chapatti)

Pre-cleaned wheat grains were milled to produce whole wheat flour. Cleaned barley grains were soaked in water overnight which were dried till the desirable moisture of 9.0 % and milled to produce barley flour. After this, composite flour of wheat and soaked barley was made at a combination of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% barley in the whole wheat flour. The composition and rheology of composite flour were tested and then the chapatti was made from different combinations of flour blend. A sensory evaluation of wheat barley chapatti was also done to know product acceptability. It was observed that protein, ash, beta-glucan, energy value, mineral digestibility (20.28%), and protein digestibility rate (47.96%) increased significantly while the gluten, carbohydrates, and phytates decreased in a significant manner. Dough rheology depicted a significant increase in water absorption and dough development time while dough stability was reduced. Moreover, chapatti developed from 20% soaked barley flour had a significant increase in protein, ash, beta-glucan, and calorie value but carbohydrates were momentously reduced. To summarize, chapatti made from a blend of 20% soaked barley flour in whole wheat flour had increased nutritional value (more mineral and protein digestibility) and good acceptability.