Extraction and Isolation of β‐Glucan from Grain Sources—A Review

A collective report on the extraction and isolation of β‐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 β‐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 β‐glucan were good. Cost‐effective development of the process for deriving high molecular weight β‐glucan is the current requirement for its wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries.