# US 8,784,927 B2 · Methods for preparing oat bran enriched in beta-glucan and oat products prepared therefrom

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- Number: US 8,784,927 B2
- Document ID: US8784927B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/389,570
- Filed: 2009-02-20
- Published: 2009-06-18
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2004-01-13
- Assignees: General Mills, Inc.
- Applicants: John H Hellweg; John D McKeehen; Michael Dietsch
- Inventors: John H Hellweg; John D McKeehen; Michael Dietsch
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784927B2

## CPC

- A21D 13/02: Products made from whole meal; Products containing bran or rough-ground grain
- A21D 2/18: Carbohydrates
- A21D: TREATMENT OF FLOUR OR DOUGH FOR BAKING, e.g. BY ADDITION OF MATERIALS; BAKING; BAKERY PRODUCTS (preservation of flour or dough before baking A23B40/00; preservation of bakery products A23B45/00)

## Abstract

Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of β-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated β-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is subjected to second and third rounds of milling and classification to form a high β-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low β-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An oat flour comprising:
a β-glucan content of less than 3%, but greater than 0%;
a Farinograph value of about 5 to 20 minutes;
a ratio of a) syringic acid peak to b) ferulic acid peak of greater than or equal to 2.5; and,
a negative peroxidase activity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The oat flour of claim 1 having a ratio of syringic acid peak to ferulic acid peak of greater than or equal to 3.5.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The oat flour of claim 2 having a particle size of greater than 300μm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The oat flour of claim 3 having a β-glucan content of less than 2%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The oat flour of claim 4 having a β-glucan content of less than 1%.

### Claim 6

A food product low in β-glucan oat based cereal products fabricated from a cooked cereal dough comprising an oat flour having:
a β-glucan content of greater than 0%, but no greater than 2%;
a Farinograph value of about 5 to 20 minutes;
a ratio of a) syringic acid peak to b) ferulic acid peak of greater than or equal to 2.5; and,
a negative peroxidase activity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The food product of claim 6 in the form of a ready-to-eat cereal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The food product of claim 7 wherein the ready to eat cereal is in the form of pieces selected from the group consisting of puffs, flakes, shreds, biscuits and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The food product of claim 8 wherein the puffs are in the form of sphere, ovoid, letter, figurine, geometric shapes, rings, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The food product of claim 8 in the form of a loose mixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The food product of claim 8 in the form of a bar fabricated from a quantity of pieces bound by a binder.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The food product of claim 9 wherein at least a major portion are in the form of ring shaped pieces.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The food product of claim 12 wherein the food pieces are fortified with inulin.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The food product of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the inulin is in the form of a topical coating.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The food product of claim 8 in the form of flakes.