Method and composition comprising hydrolyzed starch and stabilizers

A method for making an oat composition, comprising:

• hydrolyzing starch in starting whole grain oats to provide hydrolyzed whole grain oats, wherein the hydrolyzed whole grain oats comprise hydrolyzed starch;
• combining the hydrolyzed whole grain oats, water, emulsifier, and suspension stabilizer to provide the oat composition, wherein the oat composition comprises:
• the water;
• 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the hydrolyzed whole grain oats comprising the hydrolyzed starch;
• undissolved solids;
• dissolved solids;
• the emulsifier;
• and
• the suspension stabilizer, wherein the suspension stabilizer is activated and wherein a concentration of the suspension stabilizer in the oat composition is effective to maintain the undissolved solids in suspension in the oat composition, wherein the undissolved solids are deemed to be maintained in suspension if at least 90% by volume of the oat composition is a single solid-in-liquid suspension at the end of a suspension test, wherein the solid-in-liquid suspension comprises water and a majority of the undissolved solids in the oat composition;
• wherein the suspension test comprises (i) providing 100 mL of the oat composition at 20° C. in a graduated cylinder and in air at 20° C., wherein the graduated cylinder has an inner diameter of 3 cm, has an inner height of 25 cm and is configured to measure at least 100 mL of water contained by the graduated cylinder, (ii) closing the graduated cylinder so that the oat composition will not escape from the graduated cylinder during a mixing step, (iii) performing the mixing step by vertically orienting a central axis of the graduated cylinder and vertically oscillating the graduated cylinder at an amplitude of 2.5 cm so that the graduated cylinder is displaced 2.5 cm above and 2.5 cm below a starting position at a rate of 1 oscillation per second for 15 seconds, and (iv) allowing the graduated cylinder to remain stationary for 2 hours after the mixing step;
• wherein the viscosity of the oat composition is 6 to 30 cP at 8° C. and at a shear rate of 50/s;
• and
• wherein the hydrolyzed whole grain oats are provided by hydrolyzing starch in the starting whole grain oats;
• wherein the starting whole grain oats comprise a pre-hydrolysis starch-to-protein mass ratio, wherein the hydrolyzed whole grain oats comprise a post-hydrolysis starch-to-protein mass ratio, wherein the post-hydrolysis starch-to-protein mass ratio is equal to the pre-hydrolysis starch-to-protein mass ratio within a tolerance of +/−10% of the pre-hydrolysis starch-to-protein mass ratio.