Abstract: Black barley is a nutritious grain with great commercial value. Germination will lead to the changes in the composition of cereal food. In present study,the optimal germination process conditions of black barley were established firstly. The effects of germination on the contents of free amino acids,proteins,fats,starch,dietary fiber and vitamin B₁ and B₂ in black barley were determined on the basis of optimal germination process. The results showed that the optimum germination condition were as follows:the germination rate of black barley reached the highest level(62.14%)after cultivated for 48 h at 15 ℃. The contents of free amino acids,proteins,starch,insoluble dietary fiber,total dietary fiber,vitamin B₁,B₂,calcium,iron and manganese significantly increased after 72 h germination(p<0.05),while the soluble dietary fiber content significantly decreased(p<0.05). Germination could significantly improved the nutritional value of black barley.