Extraction, quantification, and biochemical characterization of cereal industry by-product cell wall

The current study was aimed to extract and purify the cell walls of cereal industrial by-products, that is, maize, wheat, and barley bran, followed by their nutritional and biochemical properties. For the purpose, three varieties of wheat and barley were procured from Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Cell walls from industrial by-products were isolated and purified followed by the removal of starch and proteins from contaminating endosperm tissue. Moreover, their sugar and polysaccharide contents wall were determined through gas chromatography and alkaline treatment, respectively. Results revealed that cell wall content is more in barley (43.18 +/- 0.58, 42.43 +/- 1.07 and 42.08 +/- 0.13 g/50 g than in wheat (39.30 +/- 1.67, 38.72 +/- 0.45, and 37.45 +/- 0.23 g/50 g) and maize (34.00 +/- 0.08, 34.56 +/- 0.39, and 33.76 +/- 1.21 g/50 g). Moreover, barley industry by-product cell wall has higher total sugars and total phenolic acids contents whereas, wheat industry by-product cell wall showed lower followed by maize cell wall. Conclusively, cell wall of barley industry by-product is more nutritious than that of wheat and maize industry by-product cell walls. Practical applications Cereals are the most abundant commodities widely used in the world as staple foods. Cereal bran cell wall has important bioactive components, which have the ability to combat different life-threatening diseases. Utilization of cell wall in cereal-based products can fulfill many objectives including improving product quality, shelf life, value addition, and maintaining good health of the consumers. Novel products with improved rheology can be introduced in market as functional foods against various diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cancer, and bacterial infections. Cereal bran cell wall can be probed in the baking industry to enhance the shelf life and stability of the baked goods.