Barley flour as an alternative to wheat: Molecular insights into hordeins, the gluten proteins of barley

During his PhD studies, Esben Olesen researched the proteins in barley flour and their role in dough formation. Wheat flour forms a strong, elastic network of proteins, known as gluten, which is essential for the structure and quality of bread. Barley flour contains related gluten storage proteins and carbohydrates and is also a source of healthy β-glucans. However, compared with wheat, barley gluten has substantially poorer dough forming and baking properties.

Esben Olesen studied how the proteins interact within the gluten network and investigated the molecular differences between protein networks formed by barley and wheat. The research provides new insight into the protein composition and structure of brewing and baking barley varieties and how their structure may influence dough functionality. These new findings can contribute to future efforts to improve the baking properties of barley through plant breeding or genome editing, with the aim of increasing the potential of barley as a food crop.

The PhD study was completed at the department of food sciences, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: 6/11/2026, at 10.00
Place: Building 5910, room 214, Lecture Theatre seminar room 34, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Afro Food Park 48, 8200 Aarhus N
Title of PhD thesis: A proteomics approach to explore hordein composition and its impact on barley’s gluten network
Contact information: Esben Olesen, e-mail: eo@food.au.dk, tel.: +45 29861808
Members of the assessment committee:
Associate professor Catrin Tyl, Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway
Associate professor René Lametsch, Department of Food Science, Copenhagen University, Denmark 
Associate professor Merete Edelenbos (chair), Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor: Professor Lotte Bach Larsen, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisors:
Associate professor Nina Aagaard Poulsen, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Associate professor Ulla Kidmose, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Associate professor Kim Hebelstrup, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defense is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.