Effects of endosperm texture and cooking conditions on the in vitro starch digestibility of sorghum and maize flours

The effects of endosperm vitreousness, cooking time and temperature on sorghum and maize starch digestion in vitro were studied using floury and vitreous endosperm flours. Starch digestion was significantly higher in floury sorghum endosperm than vitreous endosperm, but similar floury and vitreous endosperm of maize. Cooking with 2-mercaptoethanol increased starch digestion in both sorghum and maize, but more with sorghum, and more with vitreous endosperm flours. Increasing cooking time progressively reduced starch digestion in vitreous sorghum endosperm but improved digestibility in the other flours. Pressure-cooking increased starch digestion in all flours, but markedly more in vitreous sorghum flour; probably through physical disruption of the protein matrix enveloping the starch. Irrespective of vitreousness or cooking condition, the alpha-amylase kinetic constant (k) for both sorghum and maize flours remained similar, indicating that differences in their starch digestion were due to factors extrinsic to the starches. SDS-PAGE indicated that the higher proportion of disulphide bond-cross-linked prolamin proteins and more extensive polymerisation of the prolamins on cooking, resulting in polymers of M_r>100k, were responsible for the lower starch digestibility of the vitreous sorghum endosperm flour.     

Transition from vitreous to floury endosperm in maize (Zea mays L.) kernels is related to protein and starch gradients

Relationships between kernel vitreousness and proteins and starch partitioning to the floury and vitreous regions of the endosperm were monitored in a set of 13 maize inbred lines. Decrease of protein contents from the vitreous to the floury endosperms were mainly assigned to α-zeins. Using Raman microspectroscopy, we observed a protein gradient from the periphery to the center of endosperms that well fitted with the inverse relationships between vitreousness and protein content of the vitreous and floury regions. In addition, Raman microspectroscopy highlighted an increase of starch crystallinity from the periphery to the center of the maize endosperms. This agrees with the higher amylose and associated lipid contents within starches of vitreous than in those of floury endosperms. Finally, starch granules from vitreous regions displayed more channels than the floury ones. These channels contain proteins that might favor adhesion of proteins to starch granules or granule–granule contacts to form the close packing of the vitreous endosperm. Therefore transition from vitreous to floury endosperm is at least the result of both protein and starch gradients. These gradients are probably associated with metabolic gradients that have been observed during endosperm development.     

Physicochemical characterization and in-vitro digestibility of extruded rice noodles with different amylose contents based on rheological approaches

The physicochemical properties and in-vitro digestibility of extruded rice noodles with different amylose contents were characterized from a rheological point of view. Thermo-mechanical measurements showed that the rice flour with higher amylose contents exhibited greater stability to dual-mixing and higher degrees of starch gelatinization and retrogradation. In addition, greater elastic properties were clearly observed in the high amylose rice samples. The use of high amylose rice flour produced noodles with a harder texture, consequently contributing to reduced cooking loss. Furthermore, the rheological changes of extruded rice noodles were monitored in real time during the in-vitro starch digestion. The rice noodle digesta with higher amylose contents exhibited greater viscosities throughout the simulated oral-gastric-intestinal digestion steps. The flow behaviors of the rice noodle digesta consisted of the Power-law region and infinite shear plateau that were satisfactorily characterized by the Sisko model (R² > 0.99).     

Kinetics of starch digestion and functional properties of twin-screw extruded sorghum

The time-course of starch digestion in twin-screw extruded milled sorghum grain was investigated using an in-vitro procedure based on glucometry. The sorghum grains were hammer-milled, and extruded at three levels each of moisture and screw speed. Irrespective of the extrusion conditions, extruded and non-extruded milled sorghum grain exhibited monophasic digestograms, and the modified first-order kinetic and Peleg models adequately described the digestograms. Extrusion increased the rate of digestion by about ten times compared with non-extrudates. Starch gelatinisation varied in the extrudates, and microscopy revealed a mixture of raw, gelatinised and destructured starch and protein components in the extrudates. Starch digestion parameters significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with extruder response and various functional properties of the extrudates. Extrusion conditions for maximum starch gelatinisation in milled sorghum grain for fastest digestion as an efficient animal feed were interpolated, as well as the conditions for directly-expanded extrudates with potential for human food, where minimum starch digestion is desired.     

Amylolysis of wheat starches. I. Digestion kinetics of starches with varying functional properties

The susceptibility of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) starches to hydrolysis by pancreatic α-amylase in vitro was investigated using a series of 35 starches with slightly enriched amylose content within a narrow range (36–43%), but widely differing functional properties. After 2 h of incubation with α-amylase, native starch granules were digested to different extents, but there were no differences between any of the starches once they were gelatinized. Cooling the starch for 72 h at 4 °C after cooking reduced the susceptibility of all of the starches to enzymic digestion by a similar extent, whereas addition of monopalmitin decreased the digestibility of the starches that contained amylose, but did not affect the digestibility of waxy starches that were also included in the study. Amylopectin chain length distribution of partly digested starch granules displayed increased proportion of short and medium chains and decreased proportion of long chains in comparison to native granules. Separated large (A) and small (B) starch granules from three of the starches differed significantly in their susceptibility to in-vitro digestion. A predictive model of the susceptibility of starch in the different forms was developed from the physico-chemical and functional properties of the starches.     

高直链淀粉小麦西农836淀粉理化性质及消化特性分析

淀粉是人体摄入碳水化合物的主要来源,经消化后以葡萄糖的形式被人体吸收,其消化特性与人体健康密切相关。为探究小麦品种西农836淀粉理化性质与消化特性的关系,以商品粉金沙河、香雪、金龙鱼作为对照,测定其与西农836中直链淀粉含量、淀粉粒度和结晶度、糊化特性以及体外消化率的差异,并在小鼠体内模拟消化。结果表明,与金龙鱼、金沙河、香雪相比,西农836淀粉中直链淀粉含量和B型淀粉粒含量最高,与前3者差异显著（P<0.05）;西农836淀粉的峰值温度最高,峰值黏度和最终黏度最低;淀粉体外消化试验结果显示,西农836的快消化淀粉（RDS）、总消化淀粉（RDS+SDS）含量最低,抗性淀粉（RS）含量最高。小鼠体内消化试验结果表明,与金沙河相比,灌食西农836淀粉的小鼠血糖峰值较低,说明高直链淀粉小麦西农836有利于延缓消化和控制血糖升高。相关性分析结果显示,直链淀粉含量与抗性淀粉含量呈显著正相关（P<0.05）。     

Formulating low glycaemic index rice flour to be used as a functional ingredient

Amylose and resistant starch (RS) content in rice flour were manipulated. The experiment was conducted using a full factorial design. Rice flour with average amylose content of 20 and RS content of 0.5 g/100 g dry sample was fortified with pure amylose from potato and high RS modified starch to reach the final amylose content of 30, 40 and 50 and RS content of 2, 4 and 6 g/100 g dry sample. The fortified rice flours were examined for their gelatinisation properties, in-vitro enzymatic starch digestion and gel textural properties. It was found that amylose and RS significantly affect all the fortified rice flour properties (p < 0.05). High amylose and RS improved starch digestion properties, reducing the rate of starch digestion and lowering the glycaemic index (GI) values. Amylose had a more pronounced effect on the fortified rice starch properties than RS. In this study, the fortified rice flour which contained amylose and RS of approximately 74 and 9 g/100 g dry sample respectively was used to produce rice noodles. The noodles exhibited low GI values (GI < 55). However, amylose and RS affected the textures of rice noodles providing low tensile strength and break distance (extensibility).     

Extrusion of a model sorghum-barley blend: Starch digestibility and associated properties

Blending cereals can maximise their food values, and understanding material-processing-property relationships guides this. A sorghum-barley (60:40) blend was extruded at different conditions to investigate the effects on extruder responses and extrudate properties. Starch digestion in the extrudates was more than in the non-extrudates, but extrusion feed rate did not significantly (P > 0.05) affect the digestibility. Specific mechanical energy reduced with the feed rate, which suggested suppressed molecular and/or structural transformations in a full extruder. Extrudate properties essentially exhibited a significant (P < 0.05) quadratic relationship with the moisture, with 30 ± 4.3% as the critical moisture, above which, the extrusion was high moisture, rate of starch digestion reduced, indices of water binding and solubility reduced, and extrudates were denser. Extrusion temperature had no significant (P > 0.05) effects on starch digestibility, but with more supplied heat as the temperature increased, water binding properties and transverse expansion increased. The increased frictional heat with the screw speed enhanced the transverse expansion also, and the browning, rate of starch digestion and rapidly digestible starch of the extrudates. There were significant Pearson correlations between the extrudate properties and with the extruder responses, which can assist in selecting conditions for desirable extrudate properties.     

Slow digestion property of microencapsulated normal corn starch

Starch is the main glycemic dietary carbohydrate, and its nutritional quality is associated with the amount of slowly digestible starch (SDS) that is beneficial to glycemic control. In the current study, a microencapsulation of normal corn starch by zein protein and its slow digestion property were investigated. A significant increase of SDS and RS was shown for starch capsules (weight ratio of zein to starch: 1:6) containing plasticizers of glycerol and oleic acid after high temperature (≥70 °C) treatment. Further studies showed a substantially decreased viscosity and the formation of an amylose–lipid complex after starch gelatinization. Thus, the hydrophobic physical barrier of the zein matrix and the amylose–lipid complex might together limit the water accessibility and starch swelling leading to a dense packing of starch materials with a high amount of SDS. The acceptable sensory property makes it an ideal ingredient for specialty food preparation and glycemic control.     

水稻粉质皱缩胚乳突变体fse4的表型分析与基因克隆

【目的】水稻种子主要以淀粉形式储藏能量。淀粉合成需要多种酶类和调控因子参与，机制较为复杂。本研究利用水稻胚乳发育缺陷突变体，克隆和鉴定新的调控淀粉合成相关基因，旨在为研究淀粉合成及其调控提供理论依据。【方法】从化学诱变剂甲基亚硝基脲（1-methyl-1-nitroso-urea, MNU）处理的宁粳3号(Ningjing 3, WT)突变体库中筛选到一个能稳定遗传的胚乳粉质皱缩突变体，命名为fse4 (floury and shrunken 4 )。与籼稻品种Dular杂交获得F1种子（F2），通过图位克隆的策略确定FSE4候选基因。利用杂合植株（FSE4fse4）分离出的粉质种子，观察形态学特征，分析其理化性质。使用扫描电镜和半薄切片技术观察胚乳结构。使用qRT-PCR和免疫印迹分析淀粉合成相关基因表达模式和淀粉合成相关酶类的蛋白积累量。利用全自动氨基酸分析仪测定成熟胚乳各氨基酸含量。【结果】突变体fse4籽粒宽度、厚度以及千粒重显著下降，同时胚乳中总淀粉、总蛋白、直链淀粉含量亦显著下降，而脂肪含量显著上升；淀粉黏度、崩解值和消减值显著低于野生型。突变体fse4中多为单粒型淀粉颗粒，且排列分散。FSE4定位于第5染色体长臂约252 kb的区间内，测序发现编码Δ1-吡咯啉-5-羧酸合成酶基因 （Delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase, P5CS）第1外显子上发生单碱基替换，导致一保守的氨基酸发生变异。突变体fse4中大部分淀粉合成相关基因表达量下调，多种淀粉合成相关蛋白积累量减少。突变体fse4米粉中多种氨基酸含量发生显著变化，游离氨基酸含量是其野生型的3.6倍。此外，外源喷施脯氨酸能部分恢复突变体fse4种子萌发缺陷表型。【结论】FSE4编码脯氨酸合成关键限速酶P5CS，该基因对胚乳中氨基酸的合成及代谢起重要的调控作用，并影响淀粉的合成与积累。     

Phenotypic Analysis and Gene Cloning of Rice Floury Endosperm Mutant fse4

【Objective】Starch is the main energy reserve of rice endosperm. The biosynthesis of starch is complex, requiring a large number of synthetic enzymes and regulators. Screening rice endosperm defective mutants and cloning the underlying genes will lay theoretical basis for starch biosynthesis and its regulation. 【Method】 A stable genetic floury and shrunken endosperm mutant termed as fse4 (floury and shrunken4) were obtained from the mutant library of Ningjing 3 (WT), which was induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). An F2 mapping population was generated by crossing the fse4 mutant with Dular (an indica rice variety) and the gene was finally isolated. The floury seeds segregated from the fse4 heterozygous plants were used to observe the morphological features, and the physicochemical properties of the brown rice flour were analyzed. The endosperm structure was observed with a scanning electron microscopy by the semi-thin section technology. The expression of starch synthesis related genes during grain filling was determined by qRT-PCR; Immunoblotting was used to detect the accumulation of proteins related to starch synthesis. The amino acids contents of each mature endosperm were determined with the fully automatic amino acid analyzer.【Result】The 1000-grain weight and grain size were significantly reduced in fse4. Compared with WT, the contents of total starch, amylose and total protein were signi?cantly lower in fse4, while the lipid content was signi?cantly higher. The starch viscosity, breakdown viscosity and setback viscosity of the fse4 mutant were lower than WT. The endosperm of the mutant had many single dispersed starch granules with large spaces between each other. Using 1568 recessive individuals, FSE4 was narrowed down to a 252 kb region. Sequencing revealed a single base substitution in the first exon of the delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), resulting in a conserved amino acid variation. Most of the genes related to starch synthesis were downregulated in fse4 and the protein accumulation related to starch synthase were reduced. The contents of various amino acids in fse4 rice flour were increased or decreased, the total free amino acids contents in fse4 seeds was 2.6 times higher than those in WT. Exogenous proline was applied during the germination of fse4 seeds, and the embryonic lethal phenotype was partially recovered.【Conclusion】FSE4 encode the key rate-limiting enzyme P5CS of proline synthesis, which plays an important role in the biosynthesis and metabolism of amino acids in endosperm and affects the accumulation of starch.     

Quantification and distribution of kafirins in the kernels of sorghum cultivars varying in endosperm hardness

Kafirins extracted from the endosperm of seven sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivars were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Kafirins extracted from the vitreous and floury endosperm portions within the kernel were also analysed by these techniques. The ELISA results indicated that the level of all the three kafirins was high in the hard endosperm kernels. The level of γ-kafirin was particularly higher in the vitreous endosperm portions of these kernels. The ratio of γ-kafirin to the α-kafirin was, however, higher for the floury portions of soft kernels. Tissue print immunoblotting revealed that the β- and γ-kafirins were concentrated in the central floury endosperm portions of soft kernels, whilst α-kafirin was distributed more uniformly throughout the endosperm. In contrast, all three kafirins were distributed uniformly throughout the endosperms of hard kernels. The data indicate that the content, as well as the distribution, of kafirins within the kernel is different in grains varying in endosperm hardness.     

Effect of Barley and Barley Components on Rheological Properties of Wheat Dough

The effects of addition of whole barley and barley components (starch, β-glucans and arabinoxylans) on rheological properties of dough prepared from wheat flours with variable gluten quality (cv. Glenlea, extra-strong; cv. Katepwa, very strong; cv. AC Karma, strong; and cv. AC Reed, weak) were investigated in these studies using Mixograph and dynamic rheological measurements. Whole barley meal, starch and non-starch polysaccharides from hulless barley with variable starch characteristics (normal, high amylose, waxy, and zero amylose waxy) were tested. Upon addition of either β-glucans or arabinoxylans, significant increases in peak dough resistance, mixing stability, and work input were recorded in all flours. The addition of starch to various wheat flours reduced the strength of the respective flour-water doughs. The improvement of dough strength upon addition of waxy or zero amylose waxy barley meal was associated with the high content of total and soluble β-glucans present in barley samples. The addition of arabinoxylans or β-glucans increased the G′ of wheat doughs; arabinoxylans had a greater effect than β-glucans. Starch substantially decreased the elastic modulus of dough prepared from cv. Glenlea but waxy and high amylose starches increased the G′ of dough prepared from cv. AC Karma. A combination of the high amounts of non-starch polysaccharides and unusual starch characteristics in barley seems to balance the negative effects associated with gluten dilution brought about by addition of barley into wheat flour.     

Biochemical characterization of QTLs associated with endosperm modification in quality protein maize

Genetic analysis using quality protein maize (QPM) recombinant inbred lines derived from K0326Y QPM and W64Ao2 identified three quantitative trait loci (QTL) in bins 1.06, 7.02 and 9.03 associated with opaque2 endosperm modification. We evaluated the effects of these QTLs on protein accumulation and starch physicochemical properties. The QTL in bin 1.06 is close to α-zein genes, and vitreous individuals with this QTL had increased accumulation of 19-kDa α-zein, 27-kDa γ-zein and legumin-1. The QTL in bin 7.02 corresponds to the γ-zein locus, and greater accumulation of this protein was found in vitreous individuals. The QTL in bin 9.03 is close to starch biosynthetic genes; greater accumulation of granule-bound starch synthase and amylose was observed in vitreous kernel samples with this locus and that in bin 1.06, as well as less gelatinization enthalpy and crystallinity. Vitreous kernels contained angular-shaped/compact starch granules and more short-intermediate length chains of amylopectin. These results support that endosperm modification in QPM is associated with increased accumulation of γ-zein and other storage proteins, but also show that synthesis of less crystalline starch with more amorphous regions at the periphery of granules, which favor their packing and association with endosperm proteins, may also be an important factor.     

Predicted truly absorbed protein supply to dairy cattle from hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with altered carbohydrate traits with multi-year samples

Hulless barley breeding lines varying in amylose (1–20% DM) and β-glucan content (5–10% DM) have been developed at the Crop Development Centre, Canada. The objectives of this large-scale study were to 1) determine and confirm the effect of these new hulless barley lines (zero-amylose waxy, CDC Fibar; 5%-amylose waxy, CDC Rattan; normal-amylose, CDC McGwire and high-amylose, HB08302) with altered carbohydrate traits on 1) metabolic characteristics of protein; 2) intestinal digestion of various nutrients and 3) modeling nutrient supply from these barley varieties by using NRC Dairy 2001 model and DVE/OEB system. CDC Copeland was included as a hulled barley control. Among the hulless barley lines, CDC Fibar contained the highest and CDC McGwire contained the lowest total digestible protein (TDP: 147 vs. 116 g/kg DM). HB08302 was greater (P < 0.05) in intestinal digestible protein (IDP: 40.6% RUP) but relatively lower (P < 0.05) in total digestible protein (TDP: 120 g/kg DM). Compared with hulless barley, hulled barley showed relatively lower (P < 0.05) intestinal digestible protein (38 vs. 53 g/kg DM) and total digestible protein (102 vs. 129 g/kg DM). In modeling nutrient supply from the DVE/OEB system, the results showed hulled barley was lower (P < 0.01) in true protein supplied to the small intestine (TPSI: 127 vs. 142 g/kg DM), lower in truly absorbed rumen bypassed feed protein in small intestine (ABCP^DVE: 43 vs. 58 g/kg DM), lower in truly absorbed protein in the small intestine (DVE: 95 vs. 111 g/kg DM), and lower in degraded protein balance (OEB^DVE: −39 vs. −23 g/kg DM) than the hulless barley lines but greater (P < 0.01) in undigested inorganic matter (9 g/kg DM). From NRC Dairy 2001 model, CDC Fibar was greater (P < 0.05) in degraded protein balance (OEB^NRC: −30 g/kg DM) and metabolizable protein (MP: 118 g/kg DM) than the other hulless barley lines, while hulled barley was relatively lower (P < 0.01) in total metabolizable protein (MP: 83 vs. 105 g/kg DM). Our correlation results suggested that TDP was negatively correlated to amylose (r = −0.85, P < 0.001) but positively correlated to β-glucan level (r = 0.74, P < 0.001) in hulless barley cultivars. The DVE and OEB^DVE as well as MP were negatively correlated (P < 0.05) to amylose level but positively correlated to β-glucan level (P < 0.05). In conclusion, altered carbohydrate traits in the hulless barley varieties have the potential to increase intestinal nutrient availability to ruminants and significantly improved the truly absorbed protein supply to dairy cattle compared to hulled barley. Hulless barley with lower amylose and higher β-glucan level could provide greater (P < 0.05) truly digested protein in the small intestine, better synchronized available energy and N and increase metabolizable protein supply to ruminants.     

Amylose and Lipid Contents,Amylopectin Structure,and Gelatinisation Properties of Waxy Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Starch

Starch was isolated from the endosperm of three recently developed waxy wheat lines and their parents. Their amylose and lipid contents, amylopectin structures and gelatinisation properties were evaluated. The endosperm starch from waxy wheat lines is composed essentially of amylopectin. The apparent amylose (1·2–2·0 g/100 g) and lipid contents (0·12–0·29 g/100 g) are much lower than the apparent amylose (26·0–28·4 g/100 g) and lipid contents (1·05–1·17 g/100 g) of their non-waxy parents. The amylopectin of waxy wheat lines is structurally identical to that of the parents. The peak gelatinisation temperature and gelatinisation enthalpy for waxy starch are significantly higher than for non-waxy starch, but the gelatinisation enthalpy for the amylopectin fraction of waxy starch is nearly identical to that of non-waxy starch.     

Sorghum starch properties as affected by growing season,hybrid, and kernel maturity

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical changes that occur in sorghum starch during grain maturity. Two sorghum hybrids were grown in irrigated plots in 2008 and 2009; upon reaching the mid-bloom stage in maturity approximately 200 heads were tagged in each plot. Samples were collected beginning ten days after anthesis (DAA) until harvest. The samples were then decorticated and the starch isolated. The starch granule size distribution was greatly affected by the collection date as well as the growing season and hybrid. The samples ranged from 16.3% amylose in 10 DAA to 23.3% amylose in 35 DAA. The crystallinity of the starch decreased as the DAA approached physiological maturity (35 DAA). Starch thermal properties were also altered due to DAA, most notably the ΔH was 16.1 J/g at 14 DAA, 11.95 J/g at 35 DAA, and 9.45 J/g at 56 DAA. The unique chemical and thermal properties of the starches could allow for utilization of the starch in differing applications.     

Starch Digestibility and Functional Properties of Rice Starch Subjected to Gamma Radiation

This study investigated the effect of gamma radiation on the digestibility and functional properties of rice starch. Rice cultivars IRGA417 and IAC202 were used for isolation of starch by the alkaline method. Starch samples were irradiated with 1, 2 and 5 kGy doses of ⁶⁰Co at a rate of 0.4 kGy/h. A control sample, which was not irradiated, was used for comparison. Irradiated and control starches were characterized by in vitro starch digestibility, total dietary fiber, color, water absorption index, water solubility index, syneresis, swelling factor, amylose leaching, pasting properties and gel firmness. Irradiations changed starch digestibility differently in either cultivar. Increasing radiation doses promoted increase in the color parameter b* (yellow), elevation in the capacity to absorb water, and solubility in water as well as the amylose leached from granules for both cultivars. Pasting properties showed a decrease that was proportional to the dose applied, caused by the depolymerization of starch molecules. Gel firmness of the starch from IAC202 was inversely proportional to the radiation dose applied, whereas for IRGA417, there was a reduction at 5 kGy dose. Rice starches can be modified by irradiation to exhibit different functional characteristics and they can be used by the food industries in products such as soups, desserts, flans, puddings and others.     

不同直链淀粉含量小麦淀粉理化性质与消化特性研究

为深入理解小麦直链淀粉含量与淀粉理化性质及消化特性之间的关系,以4份直链淀粉含量差异较大的小麦品种为材料,分析了其淀粉理化性质以及消化特性方面的差异。结果表明,随着直链淀粉含量的增加,回生值呈增加趋势;在体外消化前期,4个小麦品种的淀粉消化速率差异显著,西农836最慢,陕糯1号最快。这种差异与直链淀粉含量及回生值密切相关,说明直链淀粉比支链淀粉更易于回生,糊化后的冷却过程中更容易发生分子间部分重排和再结晶,重新组装成有序的聚集体,导致供试材料之间快速消化淀粉含量及总体消化程度不同。直链淀粉含量高的品种具有更多的B型小淀粉粒,但是大量B型小淀粉粒的存在并没有导致淀粉消化速率以及淀粉总体消化程度的提高,说明淀粉充分糊化后,粒度的差异并不改变淀粉消化特性。     

Predicted truly absorbed protein supply to dairy cattle from hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with altered carbohydrate traits with multi-year samples

Hulless barley breeding lines varying in amylose (1–20% DM) and β-glucan content (5–10% DM) have been developed at the Crop Development Centre, Canada. The objectives of this large-scale study were to 1) determine and confirm the effect of these new hulless barley lines (zero-amylose waxy, CDC Fibar; 5%-amylose waxy, CDC Rattan; normal-amylose, CDC McGwire and high-amylose, HB08302) with altered carbohydrate traits on 1) metabolic characteristics of protein; 2) intestinal digestion of various nutrients and 3) modeling nutrient supply from these barley varieties by using NRC Dairy 2001 model and DVE/OEB system. CDC Copeland was included as a hulled barley control. Among the hulless barley lines, CDC Fibar contained the highest and CDC McGwire contained the lowest total digestible protein (TDP: 147 vs. 116 g/kg DM). HB08302 was greater (P < 0.05) in intestinal digestible protein (IDP: 40.6% RUP) but relatively lower (P < 0.05) in total digestible protein (TDP: 120 g/kg DM). Compared with hulless barley, hulled barley showed relatively lower (P < 0.05) intestinal digestible protein (38 vs. 53 g/kg DM) and total digestible protein (102 vs. 129 g/kg DM). In modeling nutrient supply from the DVE/OEB system, the results showed hulled barley was lower (P < 0.01) in true protein supplied to the small intestine (TPSI: 127 vs. 142 g/kg DM), lower in truly absorbed rumen bypassed feed protein in small intestine (ABCP^DVE: 43 vs. 58 g/kg DM), lower in truly absorbed protein in the small intestine (DVE: 95 vs. 111 g/kg DM), and lower in degraded protein balance (OEB^DVE: −39 vs. −23 g/kg DM) than the hulless barley lines but greater (P < 0.01) in undigested inorganic matter (9 g/kg DM). From NRC Dairy 2001 model, CDC Fibar was greater (P < 0.05) in degraded protein balance (OEB^NRC: −30 g/kg DM) and metabolizable protein (MP: 118 g/kg DM) than the other hulless barley lines, while hulled barley was relatively lower (P < 0.01) in total metabolizable protein (MP: 83 vs. 105 g/kg DM). Our correlation results suggested that TDP was negatively correlated to amylose (r = −0.85, P < 0.001) but positively correlated to β-glucan level (r = 0.74, P < 0.001) in hulless barley cultivars. The DVE and OEB^DVE as well as MP were negatively correlated (P < 0.05) to amylose level but positively correlated to β-glucan level (P < 0.05). In conclusion, altered carbohydrate traits in the hulless barley varieties have the potential to increase intestinal nutrient availability to ruminants and significantly improved the truly absorbed protein supply to dairy cattle compared to hulled barley. Hulless barley with lower amylose and higher β-glucan level could provide greater (P < 0.05) truly digested protein in the small intestine, better synchronized available energy and N and increase metabolizable protein supply to ruminants.