Aside from the customary rapid analysis methods for water and protein as well as physical tests, the visual inspection of barley, i.e., the evaluation of the external characteristics of the grain, also remains a meaningful method for assessing barley.
This method describes how to determine whether kernels in a lot of barley are cracked by means of the iodine-starch reaction.
Barley intended for the production of malt is to be evaluated on the basis of the characteristics described below.
Detection of cracked kernels is based upon the reaction of iodine with starch. Unprotected starch grains located in the cracks are dyed with iodine, thereby producing a vivid shade of blue, making the cracks easily discernible.