Comprehensive review of barley dietary fibers with Emphasis on arabinoxylans

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) emerges as a sustainable source of dietary fibers with multifaceted health benefits. Barley offers a balanced combination of soluble and insoluble fibers. In addition to the well-known β-glucan, barley stands out as a rich source of arabinoxylan, a soluble fiber. The review addresses the barley dietary fibers with a focus on arabinoxylans, exploring their composition, extraction procedure, and health benefits. Arabinoxylans can be extracted from by-products (bran, hulls, or brewers' spent grain) of milling, starch, and brewing industries. These fibers have gained increasing attention due to their bioactive effects influencing digestive health, blood sugar management, and gut microbiota compositions. Despite their numerous physiological benefits, the utilization of arabinoxylans in food applications is still relatively scarce. This is likely due to factors such as limited awareness, technical challenges in incorporating arabinoxylans into food products, and the need for further research to optimize their functionality in various formulations. As scientific understanding grows, barley arabinoxylans may also become more widely recognized functional ingredients, leading to increased interest from the food and health industries.