Current GOST of pearl barley in the Russian Federation

The quality of any product may cause the buyer doubts. And even if it is written that the product meets the standard, it does not remove all the questions. Another problem arises - to understand exactly what “compliance with GOST” means.

The current GOST for pearl barley has the symbol 5784-60. This document was introduced in March 1960. Its action extends to barley groats, which are produced by removing flowering films from seeds. Partially get rid of the shells of the fruit and seeds, as well as from the embryo. Mandatory requirement is grinding and polishing.

According to the established requirements, category 1 and 2 barley is an elongated core with round ends. Groats of categories 3 to 5 differ in spherical geometry. The presence of taste, including acid and bitterness. Also banned in 2018 is the presence of the "flavor" of mold and musty smell. The standard that has been in effect for 58 years is well developed and balanced.

Standard pearl barley should:

• have a total weed part not higher than 0.3%;
• have a concentration of impurities of mineral origin of a maximum of 0.05%;
• contain strictly no more than 0.05% of harmful components of plant origin.

Among the latter group, the restriction on creeping bitterness and multicolored Vasel is especially noted. They should be a maximum of 0.02%. The share of the muck should fall no more than 0.4%. The presence of insects damaging bread is totally unacceptable. The limiting presence of a metallic impurity that has magnetic properties is 3 mg per 1 kg of cereal mass.

What is important, limited and the highest particle size of the impurity. Its largest face can be 0.3 mm. The mass of single grains is limited to 0.4 mg. Other impurities that are reflected in the standard include:

• pebbles and grains of sand;
• ore inclusions;
• metallurgical slag and sandpaper;
• parts removed during normal processing of plant parts;
• seeds of any plants, including cultivated, not covered by technology.

It is categorically unacceptable the presence of covered with mold, rotten, roasted grains. Also charred grains, croup with damaged endosperm are unacceptable. Even if the endosperm has a light color, but is friable and easily crumbles - this is very bad. But the exact definition of such a defect as nedodir, directly depends on the category of grain. If it is classified as # 1 and # 2, then kernels fall into the category of underdire, outside the grooves of which more than ¼ of the surface is covered with the remaining floral film.

Most often, pearl barley is shipped in containers with a capacity of 750 g, 5 or 25 kg. For its storage, the air temperature must be maintained not lower than 0 and not higher than 25 degrees Celsius. In this case, the relative humidity is limited to 70%. In such conditions, you can store pearl barley and a half years. The normal coloring of the cereal is white with a yellowish, sometimes with a slightly green tint.

The maximum level of humidity is 15%. The concentration of benign nuclei in the total mass should be from 99.6%. When shipment of any batch of cereals is not allowed its acceptance, if there are no certificates on the content of toxic substances of various kinds. These include pesticides and fungal toxins of all kinds. Pearl barley should be contained in a carton (this is different from other cereal products that are recommended to be transported and stored in plastic shells).

When testing the supplied batches of cereals, attention is paid to the ash content of the product itself and to the quality of the packaging. The value of point samples should be a maximum of 200-300 g. According to the current standard, the marking of pearl barley with the inscription "environmentally friendly" on the package is not allowed. There is one more nuance - barley cereals are obviously worse than full barley, you can take it only as a last resort.

On how to cook barley porridge in a slow cooker, see below.