Oats as a source of nutritious alternative protein

Abstract

The common oat (Avena sativa) is a widely-grown cereal grain that has recently garnered attention as a potential source of innovative and alternative foods to replace animal protein. This review article considers the many characteristics of oat-based foods, focusing on oat protein quality and the nutritional effects of oat protein consumption. We first summarize the role of oats as a sustainable alternative protein source before considering dry and wet separation technologies for the enrichment or isolation of oat protein. We then discuss oat protein, including technological properties such as solubility, foaming, emulsification, gelling, and fibrillation capacity, which predict its applicability in diverse liquid and solid foods. We emphasize the potential of oats as a plant-based protein source for the design of innovative dairy and meat alternatives. The review also discusses oat protein quality, particularly its protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score compared to other plant-based protein sources, and insights related to the functionalization oat protein for improved performance. Finally, we consider the ability of oat protein to enable a dietary shift, including knowledge gaps and avenues for future research. This review consolidates existing knowledge on oats and oat protein, providing a comprehensive understanding of technological functionality, applicability in diverse food categories, nutritional potential, protein quality, and associated health benefits.