Abstract
Barley milk is a valuable source of high-quality proteins and balanced nutrients, making it a promising component of dairy and cereal products. Optimisation of its production processes requires comprehensive product characterisation, particularly with regard to the physical stability of proteins. Various analytical methods can be used to evaluate the qualitative characteristics of plant-based drinks. In this study, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the thermodynamic stability and denaturation of proteins, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to qualitatively analyse the functional groups that determine the product’s structural features. It was found that barley milk has high nutritional value, including significant contents of proteins, saturated fatty acids, dietary fibre, B vitamins and minerals. β-glucan in barley (1.5–8%) helps stabilise the viscosity of the drink, playing a key role in its overall stability. FTIR spectroscopy data confirmed the presence of characteristic peaks of carbohydrates, indicating a high complex sugar content. The DSC results showed that both the initial and peak denaturation temperatures increase with protein concentration. At a low concentration of barley milk (1.5%), one pronounced endothermic peak was observed, whereas at higher concentrations the peaks became clearer and more defined. The data obtained have significant implications for food technology and human health, contributing to the development of more sustainable and functional food products.