Extraction and Isolation of ß-Glucan from Grain Sources-A Review.

A collective report on the extraction and isolation of ß-glucan from grain sources, namely, oat, barley, and wheat is presented. An analysis on the effect of medium, pH, and temperature on the purity and yield of the ß-glucan derived under acidic/alkaline/aqueous/enzymatic conditions is also made. Water extraction and alkali extraction processes are preferred as the yield and recovery of extracted ß-glucan were good. Cost-effective development of the process for deriving high molecular weight ß-glucan is the current requirement for its wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries.