Interaction of heat-moisture conditions and physical properties in oat processing: I. Mechanical properties of steamed oat groats

Research interest in oats has focussed on their nutritional value, but there have been few studies of their food processing. Heat treatment is characteristic of oat processing, as it is needed to inactivate lipase and to facilitate flaking. A Texture Analyser was used to characterise the mechanical properties of unkilned and kilned oat groats after steaming and tempering in an oven for 30, 60 and 90 min at 80, 95 and 110 degrees C. Maximum force, number of peaks before maximum and final force after 5s hold were used to characterise the behaviour of the groats during compression. Kilned groats were larger and softer before steaming. After steaming and tempering, the moisture content of the kilned groats was higher than for unkilned groats. Hot, steamed oats were softer than cold, unsteamed groats, indicated by a decrease in maximum force from 59 to 55 N, and there was no significant difference between kilned and unkilned groats. However, higher temperatures during tempering increased maximum force. These results suggest that mild steam treatment yields softer oat groats, whereas cold or over-treated groats tend to be harder. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Interaction of heat-moisture conditions and physical properties in oat processing: II. Flake quality

Product quality is an important determinant of consumer acceptance. Consistent oat flake properties are thus necessary in the mill as well as in the marketplace. The effects of kilning and tempering conditions (30, 60 or 90 min at 80, 95 or 110 degrees C) on flake peroxidase activity, size, thickness, strength and water absorption were therefore determined. After kilning, some peroxidase activity remained but steaming and tempering effectively destroyed the activity of these enzymes. Thus the supposed protective effect of kilning or groat durability was not confirmed. Kilning resulted in an increase in flake specific weight, but no other significant effect on flake quality was observed. Tempering time and temperature interacted significantly to produce complex effects on flake specific weight, thickness and water absorption. Flake thickness and specific weight were significantly correlated (r = 0.808, n = 54). Longer tempering times resulted in an increased fines' fraction, from 1.45% at 30 min to 1.75% at 90 min. It is concluded that whilst kilning has little effect on flake quality, the heat treatment immediately prior to flaking, can be used to adjust flake quality independently of flake thickness

Starch characterisation and variability in GBSS loci of synthetic hexaploid wheats and their durum and Aegilops tauschii parents

Greater variability in starch properties is found in lower ploidy wheats than in commercial hexaploid wheats. This paper reports on the starch properties and variability in granule bound starch synthase (GBSS) loci of 17 diploid (Aegilops tauschii) and 12 tetraploid (durums) potential progenitors of wheat, compared with 29 synthetic hexaploid wheats produced from such progenitors. Starch properties examined were granule size distribution, swelling power, amylose content, gelatinisation and amylose-lipid dissociation properties. A PCR screening method was able to detect the presence or absence of each of the three GBSS genes. It also detected polymorphisms in eight diploids and nine hexaploids, all displaying the same 25 bases deletion in the D genome allele of GBSS. Two tetraploids and five hexaploids were null 4A for GBSS. There was little difference in the amylose contents and amylose-lipid dissociation peak temperatures of the synthetic hexaploids and the lower ploidy wheats. The synthetic hexaploids showed intermediate swelling power values with the durums giving the highest swelling powers. The durums also had higher B granule contents than the A. tauschii accessions, but not as high as the synthetics. However, the A. tauschii samples gave the highest gelatinisation peak temperatures. The presence of the null 4A mutation was positively correlated with swelling power, amylose content and DSC measurements. The new smaller D genome allele of GBSS was associated with slightly higher swelling power. These results confirm the value of wheat progenitor lines as sources of new starch properties for hexaploid wheat