Allergy-Triggering Proteins in Barley Measured Precisely for the First Time
New Basis for More Tolerable Foods
Amylase/trypsin-inhibitors (ATIs) are proteins that can trigger immune reactions in the human body. They are best known from wheat, where they are considered a possible trigger of non-celiac wheat sensitivity. An international research team led by Katharina Scherf from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has now succeeded for the first time in precisely measuring these proteins in barley. The results could open up new avenues for the development of more tolerable foods.
For their study, the researchers analyzed 181 different barley accessions from around the world. Among the accessions were 113 two-row and 68 six-row types with different genetic backgrounds. Although two-row accessions only form one grain per node in the ear, this grain is particularly strong and rich in starch, making it especially suitable for beer production. In contrast, multi-row barley accessions develop three grains per node. These are slightly weaker developed and are mainly used as animal feed.
Using a specially developed analysis method, Katharina Scherf and her team were able to clearly identify and quantify ten barley-specific ATI types for the first time. “Until now, we knew very little about the occurrence of ATIs in barley. Our method now provides reliable data on the barley-specific ATI composition for the first time,” reports principal investigator Katharina Scherf.
As her research team shows, the total ATI content of the samples examined varied between 1.1 and 5.2 milligrams per gram of flour, which corresponds to 0.7–3.6 percent of the total protein content. Interestingly, the number of rows of barley did not significantly influence the ATI content.
Relevance for people with intolerances
The findings are particularly relevant for people with food intolerances. Alongside gluten and so-called FODMAPs, ATIs are considered possible triggers of symptoms such as diarrhea, flatulence, headaches, or “brain fog.” Sabrina Geisslitz, co-author from the Leibniz Institute, adds: “Although it is still difficult to diagnose non-celiac wheat sensitivity, many sufferers report relief from symptoms when following a gluten-free or low-gluten diet.”
“Now that we have a better understanding of the ATI composition in barley, we can specifically identify accessions with particularly low ATI content. This is an important first step toward breeding more tolerable barley accessions,” explains Sarah Joestl, first author of the study and PhD student of Katharina Scherf. Three six-row landraces originating in Eritrea, Greece, and Ethiopia, which had very low ATI levels, are particularly promising.
Barley—more than just a base for beer
Barley is one of the world's most important cereals after corn, wheat, and rice. Around 142 million tons were harvested in the 2023/24 harvest year alone. In Europe, it is mainly used for animal feed and beer production, but increasingly also as an ingredient in breakfast cereals, baked goods, and plant-based meat alternatives.
In future studies, the researchers therefore want to investigate the ATI content in processed barley products. The aim is to improve the tolerability of these products, especially for sensitive people with allergies or chronic inflammatory diseases.
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