Wheat Beta Glucan Powder

Wheat beta-glucan powder is the mixed-linkage glucan of Triticum aestivum grain, concentrated from a kernel in which arabinoxylan, starch and protein far outweigh this polymer. It is a purified fraction and not wheat flour or bran, and it is dried to a light yellow powder that disperses in water.

The primary grade carries beta-glucans ≥70% by enzymatic assay, with an 80% option, and moisture and ash are each ≤5.0%. The powder is milled to 80 mesh and supplied for dry blends, beverage mixes, capsules and tablets.

SKU: BOT-BPS-0075 Category: Botanical Polysaccharides Tags: Bars & Bakery, Beta-Glucans, Polysaccharides, Seed & Grain, Water Extracted, Water-Extracted Fractions, Wheat

Wheat Beta-Glucan Identity

Wheat beta-glucan powder is made from the grain of Triticum aestivum L., common bread wheat. The glucan occurs in the cell walls of the starchy endosperm and in the aleurone layer, in much smaller amounts than in barley or oats, and the purified powder is built from this minor wall component. Wheat is better known for its protein and starch than for its glucan.

The wall of wheat endosperm is dominated by arabinoxylan, with β-glucan as a secondary partner. The β-glucan has the same mixed-linkage structure as in other cereals, with β-(1→4) runs of three or four glucose units separated by single β-(1→3) bonds. Because arabinoxylan, starch and protein co-extract with it, the purification has to remove far more material than in a barley product.

Extraction in warm water, enzyme treatment to remove starch, protein and arabinoxylan, and ethanol precipitation yield a fraction in which the glucan is the majority component. Wheat β-glucan is therefore a concentrate with very little in common with flour or bran, in which the glucan is a minor share of a starch-rich mass.

Three related wheat products work differently. Whole Wheat Powder is the milled grain, Wheat Peptide Powder is an enzymatic hydrolysate of wheat protein, and Wheatgrass Extract Powder comes from the young leaf, a different part of the plant.

Polysaccharide Content & Test Method

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
70% Beta-Glucan	≥70% Beta-Glucans (Enzymatic)	Dry blends and beverage mixes
80% Beta-Glucan	≥80% Beta-Glucans (Enzymatic)	Compact tablets and capsules

In wheat the percentage describes one polymer and not the fiber as a whole. Lichenase, an enzyme that cuts only mixed β-(1→3),(1→4) bonds, converts the glucan into fragments, and β-glucosidase then releases glucose, which is measured. Starch and arabinoxylan are not substrates for lichenase, so they cannot be counted by mistake.

A UV-Vis phenol–sulfuric reading would give a very different number for a wheat fiber. It reports every sugar from hydrolysis, and wheat arabinoxylan, with its abundant xylose and arabinose, would be counted next to the glucan, so a total-sugar value can be high for a product that holds little glucan. The enzymatic figures here are not comparable to any total-carbohydrate percentage.

Wheat raises one extra caution because its glucan content is low in the starting grain. Any residual starch in the extract is hydrolysed by contaminating amylase activity in some enzyme preparations, so the assay uses a purified lichenase system, and results state the basis, dry matter or as-is, beside the percentage.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Triticum aestivum
Plant Part	Seed & Grain
Processing	Water Extraction & Purification
Common Name	Wheat beta-glucan
Ingredient Type	Polysaccharide Extract
Polysaccharide Type	Mixed-linkage (1→3),(1→4)-β-D-glucan
Content	Beta-Glucans ≥70% (Enzymatic)
Available Grades	Beta-Glucans ≥70% (Primary) · ≥80% (Enzymatic)
Appearance	Light Yellow powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture	≤5.0% (LOD)
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Wheat Beta-Glucan Solution Behavior

Wheat beta-glucan is water dispersible and not freely soluble. The powder wets quickly and forms soft lumps if poured into still water, so it is sifted into a vortex or blended first with another dry ingredient. Full hydration takes longer than wetting, and warm water shortens it.

Viscosity depends on chain length and concentration. Longer chains give a thick, shear-thinning liquid that can soften to a gel on cooling, and shorter chains give a thinner, clearer one. A wheat glucan purified by enzyme treatment is usually shorter-chain than a gently extracted oat glucan, so solutions tend to be thinner, which should be tested against the target mouthfeel.

Neutral pasteurization is tolerated. Prolonged heating in acid or β-glucanase from other ingredients shortens the chain and thins the product, and freeze–thaw cycles can push the glucan out of solution. Residual arabinoxylan, if present, adds some thickness and a faint ferulic tint.

The flavor is mild and cereal-like. The powder is hygroscopic and cakes in open air. No viscosity or molecular weight values are stated for this grade.

Wheat glucan behaves best when it is added dry to the flour, the sugar or another powder before water is introduced. Dispersing wheat beta-glucan directly in water produces lumps, and a short rest after mixing lets the swollen chains settle into a smooth, uniform liquid that can be judged fairly.

Application Areas

Bakery Fiber Systems

Wheat beta-glucan fits bread and biscuit doughs, where it binds water during baking. Because the powder hydrates quickly, it is mixed into the flour before the liquid goes in, and the dough water is adjusted so the crumb does not turn gummy. Dough water is adjusted so that the crumb does not turn gummy.

Low-Viscosity Beverage Concentrates

Wheat glucan is usually shorter-chain, so it adds fiber solids to concentrates without making them thick. It is pre-blended with sugar to avoid lumps, and the drink is judged after a day in the cold to confirm that no sediment forms. The drink is checked for sediment after a night in the cold.

Compact Tablets and Capsules

The 80% grade reduces tablet mass for the same glucan amount. Granulation should avoid over-wetting, which gels the surface, so dry methods are preferred and hardness is rechecked after humid storage. Compacts are retested for hardness after humid storage.

Breakfast Cereal Coatings

Syrup coatings for cereals can carry the powder at modest levels. The glucan binds water as the coating dries and firms the shell, so syrup solids and drying time are the first parameters to tune. Syrup solids and drying time are tuned together.

Noodle and Pasta Doughs

In noodle doughs the glucan adds firmness and water retention. It is added to the flour at low levels, and cooking loss is checked, since excess hydration of the glucan can soften the strand. Cooking loss is measured on test batches before launch.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.