Mineral contents of barley grains and its processed foods (kolo, porridge, bread and injera) consumed in Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most widely cultivated stable food crops in the world. Barley grain samples were collected from four selected areas (Bahir Dar, Bure, Finote Selam and Debre Markos) of Ethiopia and four types of processed food (kolo, porridge, bread and injera) were prepared from it. The levels of essential and non-essential metals in barley grains and its processed food were determined by microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry after wet digestion with a mixture of HNO3 and HClO4 (5:1, v/v). The concentration (mg/kg dry weight) in the barley grains were in the ranges K (5482-6516), Mg (546-643), Ca (445-684), Mn (7.31-9.80), Fe (127-439), Cu (0.88-1.86), Zn (42.8-56.8), Pb (0.39-2.73), Cd (3.01-4.66). The concentrations of all the metals in the four types of processed barley foods showed variation among each other. The results indicate that Ethiopian barley grains and its processed foods are good source of essential metals.                     KEY WORDS: Barley, Hordeum vulgare L., Processed foods, Macro-minerals, Micro-minerals, Toxic metals   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2021, 35(3), 471-484. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v35i3.1