Method for preparing a liquid oat base and products prepared by the method

Abstract

In a method of preparing a liquid oat base a material comprising oat bran is suspended in an aqueous media and contacted with ct-amylase, β-amylase, β-glucanase, and xylanase to raise the concentration of soluble arabinoxylan by a factor of 5 or more Also disclosed is a liquid oat base obtainable by the method; a powderous oat base obtained by drying the liquid oat base; uses of the liquid and powderous oat bases and food products comprising them. A powderous composition for use in preparing liquid oat base comprises oat bran, ct-amylase, β-amylase, β-glucanase, and xylanase.

1 . A method of preparing a liquid oat base for use in the manufacture of food for human consumption, comprising:
 (a) providing a material comprising oat bran comprising from 1% by weight to 50% by weight of β-glucan;   (b) suspending the material comprising oat bran in an aqueous media, in particular water, to form an aqueous suspension;   (c) contacting, in no particular order, said aqueous suspension with α-amylase, β-amylase, β-glucanase, xylanase to raise the concentration of soluble arabinoxylan in the suspension by a factor of 5 or more provide a liquid oat base;   (d) optionally homogenizing the liquid oat base of step (c) to provide homogenized liquid oat base;   (e) optionally destroying enzymatic activity in the liquid oat base of step (c) or the homogenized liquid oat base of step (d) to provide enzymatically inactive liquid oat base;   (f) optionally aseptically packaging the liquid oat base of step (c) or the homogenized liquid oat base of step (d) or the enzymatically inactive liquid oat base of step (e) in a container.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises contacting the aqueous suspension of step (b) first with α-amylase, β-amylase, β-glucanase to partially hydrolyze starch and β-glucan, then with xylanase to raise the concentration of soluble arabinoxylan in the suspension by a factor of 5 or more to provide a liquid oat base. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature for α-amylase, β-amylase, β-glucanase contact is from 30° C. to 70° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature for xylanase contact is from 40° C. to 70° C., in particular of from 40° C. to 65° C., most preferred of about 60° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprising oat bran is selected from the group consisting of oat bran, whole groat meal (whole meal), rolled oats groats and oat endosperm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprising oat bran comprises or substantially consists of oat bran particles of a size of 25 μm or higher. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the xylanase is an endo-1,4-β-xylanase. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein 80% or more of β-glucan dissolved in the aqueous suspension is degraded by β-glucanase to β-glucan of a molecular weight of from 20,000 D to 400,000 D. 
     
     
         9 . A liquid oat base suitable for human consumption obtained or obtainable by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The liquid oat base of  claim 9  exhibiting improved physical stability at 4° C. in comparison to a corresponding oat base prepared in the absence of xylanase, the improvement being one of 20% or more, preferably 50% or more and even 90% or more. 
     
     
         11 . The liquid oat base of  claim 9 , homogenized at high pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The liquid oat base of  claim 9 , comprising oat bran particles of a particle size above 25 μm and up to 225 in particular of about 170 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The liquid oat base of any of  claims 9  to  12   claim 9 , not comprising added suspension stabilizing agent such as alginate or hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. 
     
     
         14 . A powderous oat base prepared from the liquid oat base of  claim 9 , by spray drying or other suitable drying method. 
     
     
         15 . Use of the liquid oat base of  claim 9  as a food additive. 
     
     
         16 . Use of the powderous oat base of  claim 14  for reconstituting a liquid oat base. 
     
     
         17 . A fruit flavored drink comprising liquid oat base of-any of  claim 9  and fruit concentrate. 
     
     
         18 . A high fiber drinking yogurt comprising liquid oat base of  claim 9  and cow milk fermented with a bacterial culture. 
     
     
         19 . A food product comprising a liquid oat base and/or a powderous oat base. 
     
     
         20 . A powderous composition for use in the production of liquid oat base, such as the liquid oat base of  claim 9 , the composition comprising or substantially consisting of:
 (a) a material comprising oat bran;   (b) α-amylase;   (c) β-amylase;   (d) β-glucanase;   (e) xylanase.   
     
     
         21 . A method of preparing a liquid oat base for use in the manufacture of food for human consumption, comprising:
 (a) providing powderous composition of  claim 20 ;   (b) suspending the powderous composition in an aqueous media, in particular water, to form an aqueous suspension;   (c) raising the temperature of the aqueous suspension to from 40° C. to 70° C. for a time sufficient to degrade starch, 6-glucan, and xylan to form liquid oat base;   (d) optionally homogenizing the liquid oat base of step (c) to provide homogenized liquid oat base;   (d) optionally destroying enzymatic activity in the liquid oat base of step (b) or the homogenized liquid oat base of step (c) to provide enzymatically inactive liquid oat base;   (e) optionally aseptically packaging in a container the liquid oat base of step (b) or the homogenized liquid oat base of step (c) or the enzymatically inactive liquid oat base of step (d).