Improving the Antioxidant Activity and Consumer Acceptance of Rice Snacks Fortified With Barley

Although ricebased snacks are popular, they are primarily composed of refined starch and often lack dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. Barley is rich in these compounds; however, its incorporation into rice-based products often results in undesirable changes in physicochemical and sensory properties. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of barley fortification on physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities, as well as consumer acceptance of rice snacks to identify an appropriate barley percentage. Rice snacks containing different barley percentages (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%) were analyzed for physicochemical properties, phenolic composition, antioxidant activities, and consumer acceptance. Total phenolics, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, as well as antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and reducing power) increased significantly with increasing barley percentage. Ferulic acid was identified as the predominant free phenolic compound, ranging from 41.77 to 116.99 µg/g. The increase in phenolic acids in rice snacks with higher barley percentages may be associated with release of bound phenolics during high-temperature, short-time processing, as well as concentration effects due to moisture loss. Consumer acceptance was highest at barley percentages between 40 and 60% (6.21-6.49), although further increases in barley percentage negatively affected textural and sensory attributes, including hardness and color. In conclusion, increasing barley percentage enhances the phenolic composition and antioxidant activities of rice snacks, with changes in physicochemical and sensory attributes. A barley percentage range of 40%-60% appears to provide an appropriate balance between functional enhancements and consumer acceptance. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study provides a practical formulation for manufacturing nutrient-enriched rice snacks by identifying that a 40-60% barley fortification range provides an optimal balance between antioxidant functionality and high consumer acceptance. These findings can be directly utilized by the snack food industry to develop health-oriented functional grain products with improved phenolic composition and enhanced sensory attributes.