Screening of Nutritionally Important Components in Standard and Ancient Cereals

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Nutritional Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Sustainable nutrition emphasizes eco-friendly farming systems for producing nutrient-dense staple crops.
• Whole-grain and ancient cereals are explored for their potential as functional foods in sustainable diets.
• Understanding the nutritional profile of these grains is crucial for dietary recommendations and food innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively analyze macro- (protein), micro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds in various whole-grain and ancient cereals.
• To assess the functional food potential of genotypes like durum wheat, triticale, spelt, emmer wheat, and barley.
• To identify specific genotypes with high nutritional value and antioxidant capacity for breeding purposes.

Main Methods:

• Nutritional analysis of protein, mineral elements, dietary fiber (arabinoxylan, β-glucan), and antioxidants (phytic acid, glutathione, yellow pigment, phenolic compounds).
• Evaluation of antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging capacity.
• Comparative assessment of different cereal genotypes for their nutritional composition and functional properties.

Main Results:

• Spelt, emmer wheat, and barley are identified as sustainable sources of protein (11.10-15.00%) and prebiotic fiber (β-glucan: 0.11-4.59%, arabinoxylan: 0.51-6.47%).
• Cimmyt spelt 1 exhibits high yellow pigment (5.01 μg·g⁻¹) and zinc content (70.25 mg·kg⁻¹), with significant DPPH radical scavenging capacity (186.2 µmol TE·g⁻¹).
• Oats and barley possess unique phenolic compounds like dihydro-p-coumaric acid, naringin, quercetin, epicatechin, and catechin, highlighting their nutraceutical value.

Conclusions:

• Whole-grain and ancient cereals are vital sources of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds, contributing to functional and sustainable diets.
• Specific genotypes demonstrate significant potential as nutraceuticals and offer a valuable genetic resource for breeding improved crop varieties.
• Further research into these cereals can lead to enhanced human health benefits through targeted crop development and dietary integration.