AACCI Approved Methods Technical Committee Report: A New AACCI Approved Method (32-24.01) for Measuring Viscosity of β-Glucan in Cereal Products Using the Rapid Visco Analyzer

Abstract

Regulations allowing health claims linking consumption of food products rich in β-glucan with reduced risk of coronary heart disease have increased the interest of food companies and consumers in such products as healthy food options. Oat and barley cereal products, in particular, have garnered attention due to their high β-glucan contents. Processing oat and barley into food products may affect the physicochemical characteristics of β-glucan and subsequently its physiological effects, however. A new proposed AACCI Approved Method (32-24.01) using RVA to measure β-glucan viscosity in cereal products has been developed and validated. The objective of this method is to determine the viscosity of β-glucan that is soluble under simulated digestion conditions without requirements for pretreatments of cereal products. This viscosity measurement is obtained by mixing an aqueous suspension of ground sample with digestive enzymes in a disposable canister in the RVA. The method can be used by laboratories as a scre...