Fiber is often associated with digestive health, but not all types of fiber provide the same benefits. Some types have been studied for their role in cardiovascular and metabolic health, creating opportunities for food manufacturers to add functional value to everyday products.
One example is beta-glucan, a soluble fiber naturally found in oats and barley. Research has shown that beta-glucan can help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels and can also help reduce the rise in blood glucose after a meal when consumed under specific conditions. These benefits make beta-glucan an interesting ingredient for manufacturers looking to add nutritional value to everyday foods.
How Can Beta-Glucan Help Lower Cholesterol?
Not all cholesterol is the same. LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, is one of the key blood cholesterol measures associated with cardiovascular health.
Barley beta-glucan has been extensively studied for its effect on LDL cholesterol. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials involving 615 participants found that barley beta-glucan significantly reduced LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol compared with control diets1.
The effect is linked to beta-glucan’s soluble and viscous properties. When it mixes with fluid in the digestive tract, beta-glucan forms a thicker, gel-like structure that can affect the movement and reabsorption of bile acids in the intestine. When more bile acids are excreted, the liver uses cholesterol to produce new bile acids, which can contribute to greater removal of LDL cholesterol from the blood2.
What About Blood Sugar?
Beta-glucan has also been studied for its effect on blood glucose after a meal. Its gel-forming properties can slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, allowing glucose to enter the bloodstream more gradually. As a result, beta-glucans from oats or barley can help reduce the rise in blood glucose after eating.3.
This effect is recognized through an authorized health claim in the European Union. The claim applies when beta-glucans from oats or barley are consumed as part of a meal, with the food providing at least 4 g of beta-glucans for each 30 g of available carbohydrates in a quantified portion. Importantly, 4 g should not be described as a general recommended daily intake. It is the specific amount required under the EU conditions of use for this health claim3.
One Fiber, Two Nutritional Opportunities
Beta-glucan therefore offers manufacturers an opportunity to address two areas of growing consumer interest: cholesterol and post-meal blood glucose response.
For cholesterol, beta-glucan’s viscosity can influence bile acid movement and reabsorption, supporting the body’s use of cholesterol to produce new bile acids. For blood glucose, the same viscous properties can slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, helping glucose enter the bloodstream more gradually.
These effects make beta-glucan particularly interesting for products designed around everyday nutrition, rather than products positioned only as specialized health foods.
What Is Orafti® β-Fit?
Orafti® β-Fit is a wholegrain barley flour produced through milling and dry enrichment, providing approximately 20% beta-glucan. It can be used as beta-glucan-rich barley flour in food formulations4.
From Nutritional Benefit to Product Development
Adding beta-glucan to a product is not simply about reaching a target fiber level. Manufacturers also need to consider how the ingredient performs within the complete formulation.
Factors such as beta-glucan concentration, serving size, viscosity, taste, texture and processing conditions can influence the final product. The available carbohydrate content of the food is also important when developing products intended to meet the specific EU condition for the authorized post-meal blood glucose claim.
This makes ingredient selection and formulation support important parts of the product development process.
For example, beta-glucan can be incorporated into familiar food formats such as bread, cereal, pasta and bakery products, allowing manufacturers to add nutritional value while maintaining the eating experience consumers already expect.
The Bigger Opportunity: Everyday Better Nutrition
Consumers are increasingly looking for foods that offer added nutritional value without requiring major changes to their everyday eating habits.
This creates opportunities for manufacturers to incorporate functional ingredients into familiar food formats, from bakery and cereals to pasta and dairy alternatives.
Beta-glucan fits this opportunity by combining a recognizable fiber source with established research around cholesterol and post-meal blood glucose response.
For manufacturers, the opportunity is not simply to add more fiber, but to develop products that deliver meaningful nutritional benefits while maintaining the taste, texture and convenience consumers expect.
Why DPO International?
Developing a functional ingredient into a successful food product requires more than ingredient selection. Manufacturers also need to consider formulation requirements, processing conditions, product positioning and the intended nutritional benefits.
With ingredients such as Orafti® β-Fit from BENEO, DPO International can support manufacturers exploring beta-glucan applications across bakery, cereals, pasta, dairy alternatives and functional nutrition.
From ingredient selection and technical evaluation to formulation and application support, DPO International helps manufacturers translate nutritional concepts into practical food solutions that meet both formulation requirements and consumer expectations.
Want to explore the wider potential of beta-glucan in Asia?
Read our Beta-Glucan in Asia article for further insights into regulatory considerations and market opportunities across the region.
Beta-glucan is a soluble dietary fiber naturally found in grains such as oats and barley. Its soluble and viscous properties make it particularly interesting for food applications targeting nutritional benefits.
Yes. Research has shown that beta-glucan from barley can help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels. Its viscous properties can influence bile acid reabsorption and cholesterol metabolism, contributing to a reduction in LDL cholesterol.
Yes. Beta-glucan can slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, allowing glucose to enter the bloodstream more gradually. Under specific conditions, beta-glucans from oats or barley can help reduce the rise in blood glucose after a meal.
Under the EU conditions of use, the food must provide at least 4 g of beta-glucans from oats or barley per 30 g of available carbohydrates in a quantified portion. This is a condition for the health claim and should not be interpreted as a general recommended daily intake.
Yes. Beta-glucan can be incorporated into various food formats, including bakery products, breakfast cereals, pasta, dairy alternatives and functional nutrition products. However, formulation factors such as viscosity, serving size, taste, texture and processing conditions should be considered.
Orafti® β-Fit is a wholegrain barley flour produced through milling and dry enrichment, providing approximately 20% beta-glucan. It is designed for use in food formulations requiring a beta-glucan-rich barley ingredient.
Key considerations include the required beta-glucan level, serving size, viscosity, taste and color, processing conditions and available carbohydrate content. These factors can affect both product quality and the ability to meet specific nutritional or health-claim conditions.
Yes. DPO International can support manufacturers with ingredient selection, technical evaluation, formulation and application support for beta-glucan applications, including bakery, cereals, pasta, dairy alternatives and functional nutrition products.
