What Is the Use of Oat Beta Glucan Powder in the Food Field?

Oats are an ancient cultivated crop that originated in China and are also the main food crop for the people in the high-altitude areas of northern China, such as Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Gansu, and Shanxi [1]. Oats are high in nutritional value, with 4.71% unsaturated fatty acids, 16.89% protein, and 10.60% dietary fiber. Oat β-glucan is the main functional ingredient of dietary fiber, which is made through enzymatic hydrolysis, extraction, precipitation, alcoholysis, drying, sterilization and other processes. In 2014, China included oat β-glucan in the list of new food ingredients [2].

According to the latest research report from Hengzhou Cense YH (Figure 1), the global oat β-glucan market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.22% between 2021 and 2027, with a market value of 80 million US dollars by the end of 2027. The market size in China is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.1% from 2021 to 2027, and the market value in 2027 will reach 22 million US dollars. This shows that the application of oat β-glucan will become more and more extensive in the future, and the food industry will become the main application field of oat β-glucan, providing impetus for the development of the food industry [3]. This paper comprehensively discusses the role and efficacy of oat β-glucan and its application in food processing and production, with the aim of providing theoretical support for the further development and application of oat β-glucan.

1 The role and efficacy of oat β-glucan

1.1 Lowering blood lipids and preventing cardiovascular disease

Recently, Shivakoti Rupak [4] and others published an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association: Open Network, proposing that the daily consumption of 5 g of cereal fiber (oat beta-glucan) by people over 65 years old can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Oat beta-glucan is a dietary fiber derived from oats. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reports that an intake of at least 3 g of oat beta-glucan per day can lower blood cholesterol levels and thus reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The international guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia recommend an intake of 5–15 g (European guidelines) or 10–25 g (US guidelines) of beta-glucan from oats per day to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Pei Suping [5] found that after rats were given an oat beta-glucan enema, their total blood cholesterol levels decreased significantly, confirming that oat beta-glucan has a hypolipidemic effect.

1.2 Lower blood sugar and control weight

Oat β-glucan powder is derived from oats, is rich in dietary fiber, and is a low GI food ingredient. It can not only increase postprandial satiety [6], but also reduce abdominal fat, thereby reducing body weight, body mass index, body fat, and waist-to-hip ratio. This is mainly because oat β-glucan can form mucus on the inner wall of the digestive tract, preventing the contents of the small intestine from contacting digestive enzymes, thereby prolonging the digestion and absorption time [7]. Tappy [8] and others conducted experiments on diabetic patients who consumed 5 g of oat beta-glucan per day, and the results showed that the patients' blood glucose levels could be reduced by about 50%. Wang Haibo et al. [9] also confirmed in their study of blood glucose and glucose metabolism in diabetic rats that oat beta-glucan can improve the transport speed and efficiency of carbohydrates during digestion, absorption and utilization in the body, and can also significantly reduce the breakdown of liver glycogen, thereby reducing blood sugar. ABBASI et al. [10] believe that oat β-glucan can manage blood sugar by delaying the intestinal absorption of carbohydrates and maintaining stable insulin secretion in the body.

1.3 Improves stomach immunity

Gudej Sylwia et al. [11] published a randomized clinical study in Nutrients in 2021 that demonstrated the beneficial effect of oat beta-glucan in chronic gastritis. The study showed that a daily intake of 3 g of oat beta-glucan for 30 days in the diet can reduce mucosal damage without aggravating the symptoms of clinical gastric disease. The possible mechanism of action is that oat beta-glucan can form viscoelastic substances to protect the stomach after absorbing water.

1.4 Promotes intestinal health

LAZARIDOU et al. [12] found that oat β-glucan, as a water-soluble dietary fiber, can promote the growth of probiotics, help regulate intestinal flora, and promote intestinal digestion. LI Zhenghua [13] experimental studies have shown that oat β-glucan can be metabolized by anaerobic bacteria, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and butyric acid, which enhance the acidic environment in the intestine to achieve a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect. MA et al. [14] also believe that oat β-glucan has a strong water-absorbing effect and viscosity, which can promote the intestinal movement of chyme, reduce the adverse effects of many pathogenic substances on the intestine, thereby alleviating constipation and reducing the risk of colon cancer.

1.5 Improves immunity and fights cancer

Oat β-glucan can act as an immunomodulatory ligand for some immune cells to enhance the immune system of the consumer [15]. Studies by Estrada [16] and Yun et al. [17] have shown that oat β-glucan has immunomodulatory effects. Oat β-glucan can not only promote lymphocyte proliferation in mice, significantly enhancing their resistance to bacterial and viral invasion, and also stimulates the secretion of cellular immune factors such as tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 by peritoneal macrophages, increasing the amount of immunoglobulin in mouse serum. Ning Hongzhen [18] and Christof [19] and other studies have shown through in vitro experiments that oat β-glucan can stimulate immune function by activating macrophages to increase the amount of immunoglobulin and natural killer cells, thereby improving the body's resistance to infections and parasitic diseases. Murphy[20] conducted in vivo experiments on rats and CHOROMANSKA[21] conducted in vitro experiments, both of which proved that oat β-glucan can inhibit the metastasis and proliferation of tumor cells, and has good anti-tumor function, while having no side effects on normal cells.

2 Application of oat β-glucan in food processing

2.1 Application in functional foods

Oat β-glucan has the effects of lowering blood sugar, lowering blood lipids, regulating gastrointestinal health and improving immunity. Functional foods can be developed by adding oat β-glucan. Japan has developed an EX health food product that is rich in oat β-glucan and has a soluble dietary fiber content of more than 5%. It is low in fat, but has a good taste and flavor, and has the effect of lowering the body's cholesterol level and reducing the risk of chronic diseases [22].

Taiwan has recently developed oat bran powder containing 3.1 g/serving of oat β-glucan and oat milk products with a high content of oat β-glucan of up to 3.8%. In product development, oat bran powder is combined with pea fibre and isomalto-oligosaccharides to enrich the products with vegetable protein, vitamins, minerals, etc., providing comprehensive nutrition for intestinal health and the advantages of high fibre, low GI, and the advantages of a ketogenic diet, to help maintain intestinal health. ABBASI et al. [10] showed through experiments that oat β-glucan can regulate the activity of glucose transport to protein in the intestine to reduce people's postprandial blood glucose levels; therefore, oat β-glucan can be used as a dietary supplement to reduce postprandial blood glucose and be used in functional foods that can reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic patients.

2.2 Application in dairy products and beverages

Oat β-glucan has good emulsifying, thickening and viscous properties, and is stable under acidic conditions. It not only improves the sensory properties of the product, but also acts as a substrate for the fermentation of probiotics, including lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Therefore, it can be used in dairy products and beverages such as yogurt and ice cream. Liang Ying et al. [23] added oat β-glucan to yogurt for testing and found that the yogurt with added oat β-glucan had a smooth texture, a delicate mouthfeel and a rich milky flavor, with good sensory properties.

Dong Jilin et al. [24] added different proportions of oat β-glucan to ice cream mixed with guar gum and CMC as a complex stabilizer, and found that adding 0.20% oat β-glucan not only significantly increased the expansion rate and viscosity of the ice cream, but also increased its resistance to melting. Jia Jianbo [25] used oat β-glucan as a fermentation substrate for probiotics such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and successfully developed an oat-based biological milk with oats and skimmed milk powder as the main ingredients, which is rich in active ingredients and has the effect of lowering blood sugar and weight loss. The oat β-glucan content in the product is as high as 180 mg/L, with a viable count of about 1,011 cfu/mL.

At the same time, oat β-glucan can be used as a soluble dietary fiber ingredient with cholesterol-lowering, blood glucose-lowering, and laxative effects. It can be used with 0-sugar low-calorie sweeteners, dietary fiber, etc. to develop sugar-free foods such as yogurt, soy milk, and milk powder for the elderly.

2.3 Application in baked goods

Adding oat β-glucan during the processing of baked goods not only enriches the nutritional composition of the product, but also improves the dough's kneadability and water retention, while also extending the product's shelf life. Zhai Aihua et al. [26] found that when the amount of oat flour added was 15%, and the amounts of emulsifier and oxidant added were 1.0% and 0.3% respectively, the dietary fiber content of the processed oat nutrition bread was 9.64 times that of ordinary bread, greatly improving the nutritional content of the bread. Du Yajun et al. [27] added oat dietary fiber to cakes during processing to address the lack of dietary fiber in cakes. It was found that when the amount of oat dietary fiber added was 6%, the color, aroma, and taste of the cake were further improved. At the same time, because oat β-glucan has a certain water retention capacity, it has a certain water-retaining effect on the cake during storage, extending the shelf life. At this point, the cake baked is ideal in terms of sensory evaluation and other physical and chemical indicators.

2.4 Application in meat products

Oat β-glucan has good water retention and oil retention properties, and can be added to meat products to improve sensory flavor. Dong Jilin et al. [28] used lean and fatty pork, oat β-glucan, starch and carrageenan to make minced meat. They found that the water retention and oil retention of the minced meat with added oat β-glucan were higher than those of the control group without added oat β-glucan. The sensory properties of the minced meat were also greatly improved, with excellent flavor, tenderness, juiciness and elasticity.

LIU et al. [29] found in a comparative experiment that the surface of meatballs with added oat β-glucan was smoother than that of blank meatballs, and that the meatball products with added oat β-glucan showed the highest overall acceptability in both texture analysis and sensory evaluation.

2.5 Application in tableted candies

Tableted candies made with oat β-glucan, fruit powder, sorbitol, tableted candy (clearing lozenges, effervescent/micro-bubble lozenges, tongue scraping tablets, etc.), the presence of oat beta-glucan can both increase the viscosity of gastric contents and delay gastric emptying, thereby preventing a sharp rise in postprandial blood sugar, and it also has a good laxative effect and lowers harmful low-density cholesterol in the body. With oat beta-glucan as the main raw material, maltitol, sorbitol and oligo-isomaltose as auxiliary materials. After being processed through the processes of blending, mixing, granulating, drying and tablet pressing, oat dietary fiber chewable tablets with low calories can be made, which have the health benefits of regulating blood lipids and blood sugar, improving the intestinal environment and softening stools [30].

2.6 Application in solid drinks

Oat β-glucan-containing solid drinks are rich in dietary fiber and low-calorie foods. They are not easily digested after consumption. The oat β-glucan in the product is highly absorbent and bulking, and can produce a lasting feeling of fullness and satisfaction in the stomach after consumption, reducing appetite [31]. It can also promote the secretion of a peptide (Peptide, PYY2-36), which can bind to the hypothalamic Y2 receptor, which in turn can reduce appetite by inhibiting the release of the appetite-stimulating neuropeptide YY [32]. Weight loss can be achieved while controlling blood sugar and blood lipids, reducing constipation, etc.

2.7 Application in oral liquids

An oral liquid made with oat β-glucan, resistant dextrin, and oligofructose, can take advantage of the water-absorbing and swelling properties of oat β-glucan and its film-forming properties to distribute more evenly in the intestines, thereby improving its lipid-lowering and blood glucose-lowering effects. It can also significantly improve the taste and acceptance of the product. It has the effect of lowering blood lipids and serum cholesterol and raising high-density lipoprotein. It can control diabetes caused by insulin and is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

3 Outlook

As a new natural functional food ingredient, oat β-glucan powder has multiple health benefits and can be widely used in the processing of functional foods, dairy products and beverages, cereal meal replacements and other foods. It not only increases the dietary fibre content of products, but also helps to improve the texture and structure of the product, while also reducing the fat and sugar content of the food, thus achieving innovative claims of low sugar/sugar-free/reduced sugar, and meet clean label needs. The advantages and application value of oat beta-glucan are prominent, and it is believed that the application of oat beta-glucan will become more and more common.

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