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Title: ENRICHMENT OF BETA-GLUCAN FROM OAT BRAN BY FINE GRINDING AND AIR CLASSIFICATION

Author
item Wu, Ying Victor
item Doehlert, Douglas

Submitted to: Food Technologists Institute
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A strong positive correlation exists between blood cholesterol level and the risk of heart disease. Consumption of soluble dietary fiber can lower serum cholesterol in humans. Oats contain soluble dietary fiber, a major component of which is beta-glucan. Oat bran contains a higher percentage of beta-glucan than dehulled oats or hull-less oats. The objective of this study was to enrich beta-glucan from oat bran by an inexpensive method. Hull-less oats were cleaned, steamed, and flaked. The oat flakes were partially defatted with hexane. The defatted flakes were ground and sieved to obtain defatted oat bran, which had 10.0% beta-glucan and 28.0% protein. The defatted oat bran was ground three times at 14,000 rpm in a pin mill and the ground bran was separated into a fine and a coarse fraction in an air classifier with an initial set point of 15 microns. The coarse fraction was then successively separated into fine and coarse fractions with set points of 18, 24, and 30 microns. The greater than 30 micron fraction, which accounted for 38% of defatted oat bran, contained 15.7% beta-glucan and 30.2% protein compared with 3.9% of beta-glucan and 28.9% protein for the less than 15 micron fraction. Some further increase in beta-glucan content was obtained by screening the greater than 30 micron fraction into fractions of higher and lower beta-glucans. The enriched beta- glucan fraction was obtained in good yield and may have commercial potential as a food ingredient or for further processing.