Reducing the undesirable odor of barley by cooking with superheated steam.

Superheated steam was used to cook barley and the volatile odor compounds and release of odorants from the steamed barley were analyzed. The main odor compounds in cooked barley were aldehydes (hexanal and (,)-2,4-decadienal) and acids (acetic acid and hexanoic acid). Compared to ordinary cooked barley, barley cooked by superheated steam had less odorants, and the release of odorants was reduced by almost half. Sensory evaluation revealed that this barley was preferred to ordinary cooked barley, because it had weaker smell and tasted less sour and less bitter. The steaming process steam distils and eliminates some odor compounds, while some water-soluble compounds (mainly acids) are washed away by water during steaming. Therefore, this steam cooking method, applied to barley for the first time here using a comprehensive analysis, improves the acceptability and palatability of this high-quality food rich in dietary fiber.