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Naked Barley for Healthy and Sustainable Food

The Naked Barley work at Bangor University is continuing and is currently supported by the WISE Network in the Sustainable Health and Wellbeing theme. Read our case study HERE (CYMRAEG).

The project is working on the development of a supply chain for naked barley, a very promising crop, but one sadly neglected in the UK.The project is based at Bangor University’s Henfaes Research Centre

Functional Food Barley Forum held on 5th December 2013

The forum was attended by 19 stakeholders from the food industry and academia. Bangor University researchers have bred “Line 27” that has functional levels of beta-glucan and could be used in food products with a health claim on the packaging. A small quantity of this variety grown in 2013 has been used by the food industry stakeholders to produce a wide variety of test products including: biscuits, flakes, breads and cakes. There is consensus that the variety is suitable for new product development. The companies have customers who want a supply of naked barley. The main problem that needs to be addressed is: how to produce at least 50 tonnes each year that can be used by these companies? Steps to deliver a pure/certified seed supply to meet this demand must be addressed.

If you have received a sample of flour from the project here are some recipie ideas:

Please send us any feedback if you have tested the barley flour.

Previous funding

The work began with the EU Objective 1 Menterra project, working with farmers and processors to identify new crops to increase the economic, environmental and cultural sustainability of the agricultural sector in Gwynedd.

From 2008 to 2010 the project was funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Supply Chain Efficiencies Scheme and the HGCA. Download leaflet in English or Cymraeg.

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