PROCESSED WHEAT PRODUCT CONTAINING FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS IN ELEVATED AMOUNTS AND PROCESSING METHOD THEREFOR

摘要

It is intended to provide a processed wheat product sustaining inherently desired properties and qualities which are achieved by improving the balance among arbitrary functional components and regulating the activities of unnecessary enzymes; and a processing method therefor. Depending on the conditions of desired functional components such as GABA, free amino acids and dietary fiber, wheat seeds are soaked in water and, subsequently, the sprouting time (days) and the drying temperature after soaking in water are controlled and the gibberellin-treatment after soaking in water is performed under controlled conditions. Thus, wheat containing the functional components such as GABA, free amino acids and dietary fiber in elevated amounts can be obtained. By extracting the wheat seeds with the use of an extraction step appropriately controlled to fit for desired functional components such as GABA, free amino acids and dietary fiber, a method for elevating the amounts of the functional components and a processed product obtained by this method can be provided. As a result, it is also possible to provide a food having functional components such as GABA and beta-glucan in elevated amounts by using the wheat having the functional components in elevated amounts or a processed product thereof as a starting material or a material for the food.