β-Glucan extraction methods from oats: Minireview

Whole grain oats contain several nutritionally advantageous constituents and many physiological responses have been linked to the intake of oat products. Most of the advantageous constituents are localized in the oat bran, which is a
conventional milling product obtained from dehulled or naked oat groats by removing starchy endosperm particles. Oat bran is rich in dietary fibre, especially in water-soluble β-glucan, which is strongly linked to two specific physiological responses: 1) a reduction of serum cholesterol level and 2) a reduction of postprandial glycaemic response. The β-glucan concentration of
regular oat brans is usually between 6-12 percent, which is often too low for food products aiming at β-glucan related health claims without jeopardizing the sensory and technical quality of the end product. This review highlights technologies and processes to produce ingredients rich in β-glucan. In addition, a new fractionation technology based on lipid removal and subsequent dry fractionation is presented, yielding 34 percent β-glucan concentration in the product.