Extraction and Isolation of β-Glucan from Grain Sources-A Review

A collective report on the extraction and isolation of β-glucan from grain sources, namely, oat, barley, and wheat is presented. An analysis on the effect of medium, pH, and temperature on the purity and yield of the β-glucan derived under acidic/alkaline/aqueous/enzymatic conditions is also made. Water extraction and alkali extraction processes are preferred as the yield and recovery of extracted β-glucan were good. Cost-effective development of the process for deriving high molecular weight β-glucan is the current requirement for its wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries.