Oat Grain Research Articles

Possibility of using quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) as an alternative energy source in the goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) diet

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of using quinoa instead of 50(T2), 75(T3), and 100(T4) % of oat grain in goldfish rations on their performance. Ninety-six young goldfish, aged about 5 months were randomly divided into four similar groups, twenty-four goldfish in each group. The performances of goldfish were investigated by adding 0%, 50%, 75%, and 100% quinoa grains instead of oat grain in the feed (T1), (T2), (T3), and (T4), respectively. The Total live weight gains for fish fed by the T1, T2, T3, and T4 diets were 7.56±0.70, 7.48±0.38, 7.97±1.20, and 7.32±0.68 g day-1, respectively, during the trial. In this study, Insignificant (P>0.05) differences in specific growth rates (% / d) in experimental groups were observed during all experimental periods (60 days). The specific growth rates (%/d) were higher in goldfish fed with the T2 ration than in goldfish fed with T3 and T4 and T1 diets (2.88%, 11.03%, and 11.71%; P> 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the control group and the groups that received quinoa on body length, body height, head highs, or head widths. The performance of all goldfish fed quinoa rations showed as similar to goldfish fed by oat ration. Based on the results obtained in this study, quinoa grain can be successfully used in the goldfish ration without any negative effect on goldfish performance.

Study on hyperspectral monitoring model of β-glucan content in oat grains

Study on hyperspectral monitoring model of β-glucan content in oat grains

Influence of Hulling, Cleaning and Brushing/Polishing of (Pseudo)Cereal Grains on Compositional Characteristics

(Pseudo)cereal grains have been the basis of human nutrition for thousands of years. The various types of cereals are usually harvested by grain harvesters and must be technologically processed in different ways before consumption. In addition to genotype and growing conditions, the compositional characteristics of the (pseudo)cereal grains are highly dependent on the processes used. In the present study, the effects of hulling, cleaning and brushing/polishing wheat, spelt, oat, barley, common and Tartary buckwheat grains and their fractions on physical parameters (thousand kernel weight, kernel width, fractional yield) and nutritional characteristics (protein, fat, β-glucan, macro- and microelements) were investigated. Grain samples contained 22.7–148.5 mg/g protein, 4.5–69.6 mg/g fat and 0.5–54.4 mg/g β-glucan. The content of macro- (K, Mg, P, S, Ca) and microelements (Mn, Fe, Zn, Na, Cu, Cr, Mo) varied considerably among the studied (pseudo)cereals and their grain fractions. Analysis of variance showed that species and fractions significantly influenced most of the analyzed characteristics. However, the composition of the edible fractions was not significantly dependent on the brushing/polishing process.

Row spacing, seeding depth, seeding rate, and trinexapac‐ethyl effects on oat yield and lodging

AbstractLodging can reduce the yield and quality of oats (Avena sativa L.). Root lodging, as opposed to stem lodging, is the predominant form of lodging in oats. Therefore, identifying management practices that enhance root lodging resistance should be prioritized. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of four management practices on oat grain yield, yield components, grain quality, observed lodging, and plant traits that contribute to root lodging resistance. Row spacing and seeding depth were tested in three oat cultivars across two environments in Ontario, Canada. Seeding rate and the application of the plant growth regulator trinexapac‐ethyl (TE) at different nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates were tested in two‐to‐three oat cultivars across four environments. Lodging occurred naturally in all environments, with root lodging always occurring, sometimes in combination with stem lodging. Under high lodging pressure, shallow seeding increased lodging. Similarly, lodging increased with greater seeding rates when lodging pressure was high. Reducing row spacing had no effect on lodging but was the only management practice to consistently increase grain yield. TE reduced lodging in some environments, especially as N rates increased. Root plate spread, root plate depth, and root safety factor were minimally affected by the management practices studied and had complex interactions with genotype and environment. Among the measured crop traits, plant height had the strongest and most consistent relationship to observed lodging.

Non-Invasive Single-Grain Screening of Proteins and Other Features by Combination of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

The non-invasive analysis of seeds is of great interest to experimental biologists and breeders. To reach a high varietal identity and purity of seed material, it is often necessary to access features of individual seeds via the screening of mutant populations. While near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and time-domain nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy (TD-NMR) are well-known in seed research and industry for bulk seed measurements, their application for individual seeds is challenging. Here we demonstrate how to overcome this limitation using a practical approach to cereal grains using oat (Avena sp.) as a model. For this, we generated a representative collection of oat seeds from the ex situ German federal gene bank, which includes wide variation in grain size, shape, and coloration. Next, we established a short experimental pipeline to exemplify how to improve the procedure for individual seed measurements. In its current state, the method is ready to use for the high-accuracy estimation of nitrogen (protein) content (R2 = 0.877), water content (R2 = 0.715), and seed weight (R2 = 0.897) of individual oat grains. This work introduces the combination of NIRS and TD-NMR as an efficient, precise, and, most importantly, non-destructive analytic platform for a high throughput analysis of individual intact seeds.

Oat grains classification using deep learning

Background: Based on their nutritional benefits, oat is classified as a cereal of great importance for both human and animal feeding. Throughout the production process, species and variety identification are vital for agricultural systems. The present work establishes SeedFlow, a method for image acquisition, processing, and classification of oat grains using deep learning techniques. We apply these techniques to the identification of the grains from the different oat species Avena sativa and Avena strigosa and to classify grains as varieties of Avena sativa, such as UPFA Ouro, UPFA Fuerza, and UPFA Gaudéria. Results: To achieve this proposition, we executed our solution considering six different deep learning architectures to evaluate which model presents the best performance. This approach attained an accuracy of 99.7% for oat species identification and 89.7% for oat varieties classification using DenseNet architecture. Conclusions: As a result, this tool can provide high value for practical quality control applications, and it is feasible to use in pre-screening tests, laboratory analysis pipelines, or computer support tools geared toward breeding programs or intellectual property assessment.

Improved Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) Adults Biocontrol in Citrus by Hirsutella citriformis (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) Gum-Enhanced Conidia Formulation.

Hirsutella citriformis Speare is the only entomopathogenic fungus involved in Diaphorina citri Kuwayama natural epizootics. The aim of the present study was to evaluate different protein sources as supplements to stimulate Hirsutella citriformis growth, improve conidiation on solid culture, and evaluate its produced gum for conidia formulation against D. citri adults. Hirsutella citriformis INIFAP-Hir-2 strain was grown on agar media enriched with wheat bran, wheat germ, soy, amaranth, quinoa, and pumpkin seed, in addition to oat with wheat bran and/or amaranth. The results demonstrated that 2% wheat bran significantly (p < 0.05) promoted mycelium growth. However, 4% and 5% wheat bran achieved the highest conidiation (3.65 × 107 conidia/mL and 3.68 × 107 conidia/mL, respectively). Higher conidiation (p < 0.05) was observed on oat grains supplemented with wheat bran, as compared with culturing on oat grains without supplements (7.25 × 107 versus 5.22 × 107 conidia/g), after a 14 d instead of 21 d incubation period. After supplementing synthetic medium or oat grains with wheat bran and/or amaranth, INIFAP-Hir-2 conidiation increased, whereas production time was reduced. After using Acacia and Hirsutella gums to formulate conidia produced on wheat bran and amaranth at 4%, field trial results showed that the highest (p < 0.05) D. citri mortality was achieved by Hirsutella gum-formulated conidia (80.0%), followed by the Hirsutella gum control (57.8%). Furthermore, Acacia gum-formulated conidia caused 37.8%, whereas Acacia gum and negative controls induced 9% mortality. In conclusion, Hirsutella citriformis gum used to formulate its conidia improved biological control against D. citri adults.

Life Cycle Assessment of Oat Flake Production with Two End-of-Life Options for Agro-Industrial Residue Management

Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of oat (Avena sativa L.) grains and their derivatives, such as oat flakes. During oat flake production, considerable amounts of residue are generated, which constitutes a major issue for producers. We applied life cycle assessment (LCA): (1) to quantify the environmental impacts of oat flakes production in northeastern Canada and (2) to compare two agro-industrial symbiosis scenarios applied to agricultural residues (transformation of residues into feed for farm animals vs. composting). LCA results indicated that the environmental impacts of oat flake production are largely dominated by the production and use of synthetic fertilisers (contributing to at least 50% of the impact of each evaluated category). Regarding end-of-life scenarios, an environmental advantage is observed for the scenario of residue transformation into animal feed in the provinces of Quebec and Manitoba. However, this recommendation may change depending on the electricity mix used and the assumptions made for the avoided products. The choice of industrial symbiosis chains must take into consideration the economic characteristics of the region where they will be implemented and the methodological parameters that can influence the decision-making process.

Influence of High γ-Radiation Doses on the Germination and Toxic Properties of Oat Seeds

The effect of γ-radiation doses from 100 to 3000 kGy on the toxic properties and germination of oat seeds has been + studied. A tendency has been noted for a 15–25% decrease in the germination of oat seeds under laboratory conditions in the range of presowing irradiation doses of 10–700 Gy. After irradiation with a dose higher than 1 kGy, the seeds lost their ability to germinate. Curves reflecting the dependences of the length of oat stalk on the dose of presowing irradiation of seeds exhibited two areas with a characteristic separation point at doses of 70 Gy, below which the degree of influence of the irradiation dose on the height ofseedlings and their growth ability increased noticeably. The toxicity of radiolyzed oat grains depended on the dose of γ-irradiation of grains and the mode of additional feeding of experimental mice. It was established that a γ-radiation dose lower than 100 kGy did not affect the toxicity of fodder oat grain, and radiation doses of 400 kGy or higher made irradiated grains unsuitable for feeding mice without additional feeding with compoundfeed. The higher the dose of γ-irradiation of oat grain, the earlier experimental mice died en masse: after 14–15, 9, 8, and 6 days of feeding at radiation doses of 580, 1000, 1700, and 3170 kGy, respectively. The reason for the toxic manifestation of irradiated oat grains and the death of mice treated with irradiated grain,apparently, can be the formation of toxic substances in oat grains irradiated with high doses due to the occurrence of physicochemical reactions in the course and after irradiation and a decrease in the nutritional value of products associated with the destruction of vitamins and other food components. Intoxication after consumption of oat grains irradiated with a dose of 400–3170 kGy was clinically manifested by depression, lethargy of animals, and signs of dehydration and diarrhea against the background of a strong decrease in the body weight of experimental animals. It is expedient to use radiolyzed oat grains for technical purposes, especially, if they were treated with high doses of radiation

Compositional Traits of Grains and Groats of Barley, Oat and Spelt Grown at Organic and Conventional Fields

Barley, oats, or spelt consumed as minimally processed whole grains provide several health benefits, especially when grown under organic field management conditions. Therefore, the effects of organic and conventional farming on the compositional traits (protein, fibre, fat, and ash) of barley, oat, and spelt grains and groats were compared using three winter barley varieties ('Anemone', 'BC Favorit', and 'Sandra'), two spring oat varieties ('Max' and 'Noni'), and three spelt varieties ('Ebners Rotkorn', 'Murska bela', and 'Ostro'). Groats were produced from harvested grains by a combination of threshing, winnowing, and brushing/polishing. Multitrait analysis showed significant differences between species, field management practices, and fractions, with clear compositional differences between organic and conventional spelt. Barley and oat groats had a higher thousand kernel weight (TKW) and β-glucan, but lower crude fibre, fat, and ash contents than the grains. The composition of the grains of the different species differed significantly for more traits (TKW, fibre, fat, ash, and β-glucan) than that of the groats (TKW and fat), while field management only affected the fibre content of the groats and the TKW, ash, and β-glucan contents of the grains. The TKW, protein, and fat contents of the different species differed significantly under both conventional and organic growing conditions, while the TKW and fibre contents of grains and groats differed under both systems. The caloric value of the final products of barley, oats, and spelt groats ranged from 334-358 kcal/100 g. This information will be useful for not only the processing industry, but also for breeders and farmers, and last, but not least, for consumers.

Оценка влияния агрометеорологических условий на продуктивность овса в условиях применения различных доз осадков сточных вод

The article considers the effect of increasing doses of sewage sludge (OSV) on the productivity of oats in various agrometeorological conditions, as well as the effect of different doses of OSV on some agrophysical properties of the soil and humus content. In the course of the study, it was proved that with an increase in the dose of OSV, there is an increase in the lowest moisture capacity, which characterizes the water-holding capacity of the soil. With the introduction of OSV in the soil, the humus content increases (with an increase in the sediment dose to 10 t /ha of dry matter, an increase in the percentage of humus is observed by 0.1%, with the introduction of sediment at doses of 25 and 30 t /ha, the humus content in the soil increases to 1.3%). The analysis of the data allows us to conclude that the agrometeorological conditions of the year have a significant impact on the yield of oats when using different doses of OSV. Thus, in wet years, the grain increase is from 6.0 to 11.5 c/ha (20 and 25 t/ha of WT), and in normal years – from 9.5 to 20.5 c/ha (25 t/ha of WT) compared with the yield of oat grain in dry years. Keywords: SEWAGE SLUDGE, OAT PRODUCTIVITY, AGROMETEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, HUMUS, LOWEST MOISTURE CAPACITY, YIELD

Effect on bread properties of partial substitution of wheat flour with oat flour and flour from oat grain germinated in the light or dark

SummaryNative oat flour (NOF), light‐germinated oat flour (LOF), and dark‐germinated oat flour (DOF) were used to replace a portion of wheat flour to make bread. Adding 10% (w/w) oat flour contributed to a lower specific volume and darker crust and crumb than control, while light treatment during germination, significantly affected these three indices. Adding oat flour increased the hardness and chewiness values of bread crumbs by nearly 1–2‐fold compared to the control. Adding oat flour especially germinated oat flour significantly increased the bio‐accessible polyphenol content of bread. Compared to the control, the predicted glycaemic index (pGI) value of oat bread was substantially lower. Adding oat flour especially germinated oat flour to bread has the potential to increase bio‐accessible phenolic content and decrease pGI value, but the successful application requires further studies to optimise formulation considering the poor textural characteristics.

Changes in Plant and Grain Quality of Winter Oat (Avena sativa L.) Varieties in Response to Silicon and Sulphur Foliar Fertilisation under Abiotic Stress Conditions

In order to investigate the abiotic stress (drought) tolerance of oat (Avena sativa L.) with silicon and sulphur foliar fertilisation treatments, and monitor the effect of the treatments on the physiology, production, stress tolerance, plant, and grain quality of winter oat varieties, a field experiment was conducted in the growing season of 2020-2021. As a continuation of our article, published in another Special Issue of Plants, in this publication we evaluate the effect of silicon and sulphur treatments on the quality of winter oats. The whole grain sulphur content was significantly different between varieties. The foliar fertiliser treatments caused greater differences in both the carbon and nitrogen, and sulphur contents in the green plant samples, compared to the differences measured in the grain. Foliar treatments had a significant effect on the sulphur content of both plant samples and grains. Significant differences in the Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, and Zn contents of oat grains were measured, both between treatments and between varieties. Winter oat varieties did not respond equally to the foliar fertiliser treatments in terms of either macronutrient or micronutrient content. When P, K, Ca, Mg, and S were summarised, the highest values were in the control plots. Significant differences in protein content were identified between winter oat varieties in response to the treatments, but the varieties did not respond in the same way to different foliar fertiliser treatments. Based on our results, we recommend the use of foliar fertilisation in oats in drought-prone areas.

Artificial Intelligence in the Simulation of Fungicide Management Scenarios for Satisfactory Yield and Food Safety in oat Crops

Purpose: The objective of the study is to analyze the management of the fungicide that seeks a longer interval between the last application and the harvest of oat grains, with an indication of the cultivars with the highest satisfactory productivity without application in the grain filling. Validate artificial neural network models in the expectation of satisfactory productivity with food security, through the interaction between management, pathogen, genotype, and environment. Method/design/approach: The study was conducted in 2015, 2016, 2017, in a randomized block design, in a 22 x 4 factorial scheme, for 22 white oat cultivars (recommended and no longer present in the current Brazilian recommendation) and 4 fungicide application conditions (no application; one application at 60 days after emergence (DAE); two applications, 60 and 75 DAE; and three applications, at 60, 75, 90 DAE), with three repetitions. Results and conclusion: The oat cultivars URS Altiva, URS, Guará, URS Charrua, FAEM 4 Carlasul, IPR Aphrodite, and UPFPS Farroupilha showed satisfactory yields in absence of fungicide applications. URS Altiva, FAEM 4 Carlasul, and IPR Aphrodite showed significant yield increases with fungicide application before grain filling. Artificial neural networks are efficient in predicting productivity and are a reliable alternative for simulating scenarios to validate more sustainable management practices. Originality/value: An unprecedented study seeking more sustainable managements to reduce the use of fungicides in the control of oat diseases and development of simulation models by artificial intelligence, providing opportunities for analysis of different scenarios of the complex interaction plant, pathogen, and environment.

Thermal processing induced changes on molecular structure spectral profile of carbohydrates and ruminal degradation and intestinal digestion characteristics of oat grains (Avena sativa) in dairy cows: comparison among dry heating vs. moisture heating vs. microwave irradiation

In this study, the objectives were to ( i) identify the magnitude of differences between dry heating, moisture heating, microwave irradiation, and no-heated treatments on chemical profiles, energy values, the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System fractions, rumen degradation, and intestinal digestion of newly developed oat ( Avena sativa) varieties; ( ii) investigate heating induced changes in the molecular structure of the grains with the use of vibrational attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy; and ( iii) predict rumen degradability of the nutrients based on the molecular spectral profile obtained from ATR-FTIR. Duration and temperature for each processing treatment were established based on previous studies. Results showed that heat processing treatments altered CHO fractions with undegradable CHO fraction (CC) increased by moisture heating. The ATR-FTIR spectroscopy was successful in detecting the processing induced CHO molecular structure changes in oat grain. The CHO molecular profiles were correlated to chemical profile and in situ rumen degradation characteristics. Lastly, multiple regressions with best model variable selection for prediction of nutritional value were obtained. In conclusion, heat processing methods tended to affect both energy values and rumen degradation features. The CHO molecular structure spectral profiles could be used as potential predictors for heated oat grain degradation.

Comparing the Uptake of Arsenic by Barley and Oats Growing in a Semiarid Area Irrigated with Either Groundwater or Treated Wastewater

Groundwater and domestic wastewater are often used in conjunction with surface water to irrigate crops in semiarid areas. A concern associated with this practice is the potential accumulation of arsenic (As) and heavy metals in soil and plants, especially in places where irrigation water contains geogenic As. Studies on arsenic uptake in cereal crops growing under dry and oxidizing conditions are scarce. A one-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the uptake and translocation of As in barley and oats irrigated with either groundwater (GW) or treated domestic wastewater (TWW) in northern Mexico. The content of As, as well as toxic metals Cd and Pb, were determined in soil and 24 sets each of barley and oat plants. Metal(loid)s accumulated more in the roots and leaves, and less in the stems and grains. Barley grains contained 0.2 mg/kg of As under GW or TWW, whereas oat grains contained twice this amount. Bioconcentration (BCF) and translocation (TF) factors were &lt; 1 for As and Cd in plants irrigated with both GW and TWW indicating that neither barley nor oats are As-accumulators, and their grain and leaves can be safely used for fodder. However, oats irrigated with TWW bioaccumulated Pb in leaves. Conscientious monitoring of As and associated metals in soil and crops irrigated with TWW and GW is recommended.

Effect of food matrix and fermentation on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity and β-glucan release after in vitro digestion in oat-based products

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of fermentation and food matrix on the ACE inhibitory activities of the peptides obtained after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, protein profiles (SDS-PAGE) and β-glucan amounts of oat products. Furthermore, the physicochemical and microbiological properties of fermented oat drinks and oat yogurt-like product obtained from oat fermentation were evaluated. Oat grains were mixed with a certain ratio of water 1:3 w/v (oat:water, yogurt consistency) and 1:5 w/v (oat:water, drink consistency), and this mixture was fermented with yogurt culture and probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum and fermented drinks and yogurt were produced. The results indicated that the fermented oat drink and the oat yogurt-like product had L. plantarum viability over 107 cfu/g. After the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of the samples, the hydrolysis levels ranged from 57.70 % to 82.06 %.The hydrolysis level of the samples with fermented-drink consistency was significantly higher than the samples with yogurt consistency (p < 0.05).The SDS-PAGE profiles of the non-digested samples showed that the bands had molecular weights of 12–15 kDa and around 35 kDa. Bands whose molecular weights were around 35 kDA disappeared after gastric digestion. ACE inhibitory activities of the fractions composed of molecular weights of 2 kDa and 2–5 kDa obtained after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of the oat samples were in the range of 46.93–65.91 %. The effect of fermentation on the ACE inhibitory activities of the peptide mixture with molecular weights between 2 and 5 kDa was not statistically significant, however, fermentation caused an increase in the ACE inhibitory activities of the peptide mixture with a molecular weight<2 kDa (p < 0.05). The β-glucan amounts of fermented and non-fermented oat products were in the range of 0.57–1.28 %. The β-glucan amounts detected after gastric digestion decreased considerably and β-glucan could not be detected in the supernatant after gastrointestinal digestion. This indicated that β-glucan did not solubilize in the supernatant (bioaccessible) and remained in the pellet. In conclusion, fermentation is a valuable process for releasing peptides with moderately high ACE inhibitory effects from the parent oat proteins.

Biocontrol Effect of Clonostachys rosea on Fusarium graminearum Infection and Mycotoxin Detoxification in Oat (Avena sativa).

Oat (Avena sativa) is susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB). The quality of oat grain is threatened by the accumulation of mycotoxins, particularly the trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON), which also acts as a virulence factor for the main pathogen Fusarium graminearum. The plant can defend itself, e.g., by DON detoxification by UGT-glycosyltransferases (UTGs) and accumulation of PR-proteins, even though these mechanisms do not deliver effective levels of resistance. We studied the ability of the fungal biocontrol agent (BCA) Clonostachys rosea to reduce FHB and mycotoxin accumulation. Greenhouse trials showed that C. rosea-inoculation of oat spikelets at anthesis 3 days prior to F. graminearum inoculation reduced both the amount of Fusarium DNA (79%) and DON level (80%) in mature oat kernels substantially. DON applied to C. rosea-treated spikelets resulted in higher conversion of DON to DON-3-Glc than in mock treated plants. Moreover, there was a significant enhancement of expression of two oat UGT-glycosyltransferase genes in C. rosea-treated oat. In addition, C. rosea treatment activated expression of genes encoding four PR-proteins and a WRKY23-like transcription factor, suggesting that C. rosea may induce resistance in oat. Thus, C. rosea IK726 has strong potential to be used as a BCA against FHB in oat as it inhibits F. graminearum infection effectively, whilst detoxifying DON mycotoxin rapidly.

Influence of pre-sowing treatment of seeds with sapropel and biohumus on the yield of oats and barley and the content of basic nutrients in grain

Relevance. The choice of forms and types of preparations for presowing seed treatment, as well as growth regulators is important for the development and level of crop yields. Therefore, the search and application of effective and safe means for seed treatment is an urgent task. Methods. The vegetation experiment was laid in 2018–2020 on oats and barley in 5 kg Wagner vessels. Seeds of cultures before sowing were soaked in suspensions of sapropel and biohumus in the usual form and ultrafine form, obtained by ultrasound dispersion in deionized water. Harvest accounting – in the phase of full ripeness of crops from all plants in the vessel. Qualitative analysis of plant samples was carried out on devices in accordance with the established state standards. Results. In the experiment with oats, the maximum significant increase in grain was obtained in the variant with seed treatment with an ultrafine form of biohumus – 17.8% compared to the background, in the variant with ultrafine sapropel – 9.6 %. In the 2019 experiment with barley, the yield increased by 12.0 (treatment with sapropel) and 11.5 % (treatment with biohumus) compared to the background, when using ultrafine forms – by 34.8 % and 29.8 % respectively. In 2020, the yield increase when using usual form was 15 and 21.0 %, ultrafine form – 21.3 and 28.0 % respectively. The content of ash, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in oat grain increased by 7.2; 4.8; 20.5 and 14.3 % respectively, reaching a maximum with the usage of ultrafine form. In the 2019 experiment with barley, the ash content increased by 16.1 %, nitrogen – by 27.7 %, protein – by 16.4–18.3 %, phosphorus and potassium – by 12.6 and 28.3 % respectively. In 2020, the ash content was the highest among all variants and increased by 11.3 %, phosphorus – by 13.6 %, and nitrogen – by 1.75–1.95 %. The protein content in the grain was 10.3–10.7 %, potassium – up to 7 %.

Milling and roasting impact pasting and rheological properties of oat flours and quality of steamed oat cakes

Roasting is the traditional heat treatment of oat kernels before milling in China. The effects of roasting and milling methods on the physicochemical properties of oat flour and the quality of the steamed oat cake have not been explored. Roasting treatment caused a looser structure of the oat grain, which made the oat grain easier to crush. Stone milling induced severe damage (92 g/kg) and aggregation of starch granules, resulting in the highest total starch hydrolysis rate of oat flour and the highest total gas volume of raw oat batter. However, the pore expansion capacity was restricted, resulting in the minimum specific volume and the highest hardness of steamed oat cake. Ultrafine milling produced a more uniformly particle size distribution of raw and roasted oat flour and the steamed oat cake prepared with ultrafine-milled raw oat flour had the maximum specific volume and minimum hardness, 2.75 mL/g and 6.01 N. Pulverizer milling resulted in the lowest solubility index and the lowest starch hydrolysis rate of raw and roasted oat flour. Raw whole oat flour prepared by ultrafine milling or pulverizer milling gave softer steamed oat cakes with higher volume or slower starch degradation, respectively.