Enrichment of β-glucan in oat bran by fine grinding and air classification

Oats contain soluble dietary fiber, a major component of which is beta-glucan. Oat bran is an oat dry milling fraction enriched in beta-glucan. Our objective was to optimize beta-glucan enrichment from oat bran by an inexpensive method. The defatted oat bran was ground 1 x 9,000, 1 x 14,000, or 3 x 14,000 rpm in a pin mill. Analysis of beta-glucan for fine and coarse fractions for each milling speed indicated the highest. beta-ghtcan content was obtained infractions larger than 30 mum from 3 x 14,000 rpm. This fraction accounted for 393 g/kg of defatted oat bran, and it contained 188g/kg beta-glucan and 302g/kg protein. With further fractionation of this fraction by sieving, it was observed that fractions of particle size greater than 90 fun contained 18g/kg beta-glucan and less than 100 g/kg of starch. The enriched beta-glucan fraction was obtained in good yield and has commercial potential as a food ingredient or for further processing. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.