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The present research was planned to explore the biochemical properties and antioxidant activity of newly developed Pakistani rye variants. For this purpose, four different rye variants (Gp-1, Gp-2, Gp-3, and Gp-4) were procured from the forage section of Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad. In first phase, each sample was milled to convert it into powder and was analyzed for their phytochemical profile. In second phase, the mineral contents were explicated through flame photometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In the last phase, the qualitative (tannin, phenols, saponin, and terpenoids) and quantitative screening of the phytochemicals (TPC, total flavonoids, DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS) were carried out through their respective methods. Results showed that the maximum total dietary fiber (TDF) content (24.47%), insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) (17.8%), and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content (6.67%) were elucidated in the Gp-2 followed by Gp-4, Gp-3, and Gp-1. The maximum TPC (2.73 mg/g), DPPH (4.25 mg/g), FRAP (1.25 mg/g), ABTS (1.92 mg/g), and total flavonoids (12.31 mg/g) were explored in Gp-2; meanwhile, minimum TPC (1.05 mg/g), DPPH (1.05 mg/g) FRAP (1.017 mg/g), ABTS (1.02 mg/g), and total flavonoids (6.51 mg/g) were observed in Gp-4. The anti-nutritional compounds were not found in the Gp-1 and Gp-2, while Gp-3 and Gp-4 showed anti-nutritional compounds. The flavonoids and phenols were present in all the rye variants except Gp-3 and Gp-4, respectively. Conclusively, among the four rye variants, the Gp-2 rye variant was more nutritious and had good bioactive potential as it contained more antioxidants and biochemical profile than the rest of the variants.

The present research was carried out to observe the comparative effectiveness of different chemical treatments in combination with simultaneous thermal treatment on soluble (SDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) ratio to improve functional properties of barley. For this purpose, two varieties of barley, i.e., Haider-93 and Jau-87 were assessed for chemical composition, mineral, non-starch polysaccharides, and dietary fiber contents through respective methods. Two varieties were chemically treated through acid, alkaline, and consecutive acid–alkaline treatments in combination with thermal treatment. Results of chemical composition revealed that Jau-87 was higher in moisture (11.4%), crude fat (2.67%), and crude fiber (4.70%), whereas Haider-93 exhibited higher ash (2.56%) and crude protein content (12.7%). Moreover, barley is a rich source of potassium ranging from 4.77 to 5.07 g/kg. Likewise, main non-starch polysaccharides in barley were arabinoxylan (3.60–3.77%) and beta-glucan (3.65–3.67%). Furthermore, barley contains more IDF (12.00–12.40 g/100 g dm) than SDF (4.73–5.70 g/100 g dm). Additionally, modification of SDF (23.68%) and IDF (11.69%) ratio through acid treatment was nonsignificant, while acid–alkaline treatment showed highly significant results, i.e., 771.46% increased in SDF and 53.39% decreased in IDF. It is concluded that chemical treatments alone or in combination with pressure cooking increased SDF. However, simultaneous effect of acid and alkaline treatment most effectively increased the solubility of barley.