Abstract: The present invention provides a food ingredient including elevated content of free amino acids such as glutamine, valine, isoleucine, leucine and arginine in whole meal of a seed of wheat or barley, ground products of a seed of wheat or barley during maturation period from immediately after the heading until the maturation, and the like, and its production method. More particularly, a food ingredient that is whole meal of a seed of wheat or barley, wherein the content of free glutamine is 200 to 1200 mg/100 g, the content of valine is 40 to 150 mg/100 g, the content of isoleucine is 30 to 120 mg/100g, the content of leucine is 40 to 150 mg/100 g and the content of arginine is 60 to 150 mg/100 g, and a method of the production of the food ingredient which includes allowing a seed of wheat or barley selected from a group of wheat, malting barley and naked barley to be impregnated in water at 20 to 30° C. for 24 to 72 hours, and the like are provided.