Browsing by Subject "oat"

Whole grain oats have a high nutritional value and a favorable taste, making oats a valid option to enhance the nutritional properties of food products. Due to the absence of gluten, baking with oat flour can be challenging but lactic acid bacteria fermentation can provide the needed functional activities and modify the sensory properties. The aim of this study was to find lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast starter cultures suitable for oat flour fermentation and define their main metabolic profile. The sourdoughs were prepared with whole grain oat flour and water. Some of these also contained sprouted grain oat and fructose or sucrose to facilitate fermentation. Strains from species Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Levilactobacillus brevis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were used as starters. Microbial enumeration was carried out and acidification was studied by measuring pH and total titratable acidity; organic acid content was analysed with high performance liquid chromatography. The results indicate that there are benefits to using LAB and yeast in consortium to produce oat sourdough, in that they acidify the dough and produce organic acids. The addition of sprouted oat was beneficial, allowing higher acidification and higher organic acid production. Fructose successfully allowed to increase the content of acetic acid. Sensory and baking tests are needed to draw final conclusions on the flavor of the bread.

Constant increase in protein consumption is global trend and can be seen in consumer behavior of Finnish markets. Consumers are interested in replacing meat proteins with plant proteins, and therefore, it is important to develop locally grown-domestic products and invest in local crop research. Due to this, the current study focuses on the domestic vegetable protein (faba bean and oat) texturing by extrusion cooking and on their functionality when included in burgers. The literature section presents an overview of previous studies on extrusion of vegetable proteins and the functionality of textured vegetable proteins (TVP). In the experimental work the research materials were faba bean protein concentrate and oat concentrate with high β-glucan content. The flour concentrates were texturized with high-moisture extrusion, in different mixtures. Mixtures were prepared in the ratio of: 3:1 (FO) and 1:3 (OF) and soy protein concentrate (S) was used as a reference sample. Moisture content and water absorption capability of TVP samples were measured instrumentally. TVPs were later on applied to develop burgers based on a mixture of meat and vegetable sources. Burgers were prepared for instrumental analysis with seven different recipes, where TVP inclusion, water addition and meat content varied. TVP was included in three different percentages: 0, 25 and 50% and water was added in 0, 12.5 and 25%. In relation to TVP inclusion and water addition, the meat content varied between 25-100%. Sample with 100% meat was used as control sample (0-sample) and burgers with S inclusion as reference samples. Samples were analyzed for cooking loss, shear force and texture profile (hardness, fracturability, springi-ness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness and resilience) which was measured with a compression method. Based on the results of the instrumental analysis, five different burger samples were selected and evaluated for sensorial properties (chewiness, biting force, juiciness and pasty mouthfeel). The highest TVP moisture content was in OF and lowest in FO, hence the difference between S and FO was not significant. The highest water absorption was in S and lowest in OF. 25% TVP inclusion in burgers reduced the cooking loss (p<0.05) and 50% inclusion reduced it even more (p<0.05). With 25% TVP inclusion S had higher (p<0.05) cooking loss compared to FO and OF. With 50% TVP inclusion the difference was eliminated. Water addition increased cooking loss significantly (p<0.05) with each type of TVP. The FO and OF inclusion showed to weaken (p<0.05) the textural properties of burgers and reduced (p<0.05) the shear force. The reference sample S was found to maintain the structure similar as from the meat control sample. Water addition, while replacing meat, weakened also the textural properties and shear force in each TVP included sample. Based on the results, the inclusion of FO and OF in burgers reduces the cooking loss compared to the 0-sample and the reference sample S. The texture of burgers became weaker with FO and OF inclusion, however sensory evaluation revealed them to be similar to S included sample. Therefore additional studies focusing on improving the textural properties of these TVPs are needed. Faba bean and oat concentrates with higher protein contents could be needed to obtain a texture closer to meat.

Oat (Avena sativa L.) is a crop grown for feed and for food industry. It is the most used fodder plant after barley in Finland and is also exported. In 2011, oat was grown on 308 200 hectares in Finland and the average yield per hectare was 3390 kg. Several fungal and virus diseases cause remarkable crop losses in oats. Especially in the temperate zone, the most common disease is the head blight caused by Fusarium species. These fungi overwinter as mycelium or spores and produce mycotoxins. In Finland, F. culmorum is a common DON toxin producer and F. langsethiae is a T-2/HT-2 toxin producer in oats. Toxins affect the quality of oat yield and can make it unsuitable for use. Therefore, the amounts of mycotoxin allowed in cereals are stipulated by food safety authorities. This thesis was a part of MTT Agrifood Research Finland’s Hyötygeeni project. The aim of the research was to study resistance of eight oat cultivars to F. culmorum and F. langsethiae. Indicators of resistance were germination of the infested seeds, the proportion of infected seeds and the amounts of mycotoxins. The trials were made in greenhouse with artificial inoculations. The results indicated that four cultivars expressed similar levels of resistance to both Fusarium species. Three cultivars had better resistance to F. langsethiae than F. culmorum and only one cultivar had better resistance to F. culmorum than F. langsethiae. In future research, the results can be utilized in resistance breeding. Global warming will increase the risk of plant diseases. On that account importance of breeding will be emphasized.

The aims of the thesis included firstly to develop a process to prepare an oat-based milk substitute (OBMS) model in laboratory conditions representing industrial scale processing. After that, the quality of the oat-based milk substitutes prepared using the developed model was assessed and related with differences in the compositions of oats. The hypothesis was that the oat samples differ in terms of their behaviour during milk substitute manufacturing as well as final quality characteristics of the milk substitute. The OBMS process included mixing of oat flour with water, homogenisation and enzymatic hydrolysis of starch with α-amylase followed by enzyme inactivation, salt addition, pH-adjustment and removal of insoluble particles. Calcium phosphate and oil were added to the liquid milk phase after which a second homogenisation step and a final heat treatment were performed. The final OBMS was characterised in terms of mass yield, protein and dry matter contents, reducing sugars, particle size, viscosity, colloidal stability and colour. A functional OBMS process was developed and predictably, the oat samples behaved differently in the OBMS process. Mass yield of the OBMS increased as the starch content of the oat groat increased. High ash content of the oat groat correlated well a high protein content in the final OBMS. Viscosity and redness of the final product predicted well the milk yield and furthermore, it was noted that the higher the viscosity of the OBMS was, the slower it sedimented. This work provides relevant information on the oat composition that is suitable for oat-based milk substitutes.

Oats and peas have good nutritional composition and they could make up a favourable raw material combination for extruded food products. However, there are only few studies on their suitability for dry extrusion, especially for textured vegetable protein products (TVP). Based on protein content, dry extrudates can be divided into TVP products having fibrous structure (> 30% protein) and snack products having puffed structure (< 30 % protein). Differences in the structures of extrudates are formed as a result of the raw materials and extrusion parameters. The structure is formed in the extruder chamber, where different unit operations (for example mixing, ripening and shaping) cause many physicochemical changes in the raw materials, such as gelation of starch, denaturation and rearrangement of proteins in flow direction. The aim of the study was to find out how different extrusion parameters, oat raw materials and them concentration affect the properties of TVP products. Oat-based TVP products were targeted to have fibrous structure and resistance for soaking. In the first step, four oat raw materials in three different concentrations (25 %, 30 % and 35 %) were extruded with pea protein isolate. Moisture content, expansion, bulk density, water binding capacity, hardness and chewiness were determined from the products and a soup test simulating cooking was performed. The nutritional contents were calculated based on information received from raw material manufacturers. Based on the analysis results, the best of the oat raw materials (oat protein flour) was chosen for the second stage of the experiments. In the second stage, oat protein flour concentrations of 40%, 50% and 60% of the dry matter were tested. The extrudates were subjected to the same analyses as before. The oat raw material and its concentration were found to have statistically significant effects on many product properties, such as expansion and hardness. The best oat raw material was oat protein flour, from which the extruded products formed a fibrous and soaking-resistant structure. Increasing the oat content of the pulp in the case of oat protein flour resulted in a harder product and the expansion and water binding capacity decreased. Increasing the screw rotation speed was found to increase as well as expansion and water binding capacity. Based on the analyses and sensory observations, it was not possible to decide on the best extrudate, because the evaluation was most influenced by the evaluator's preference questions about for example meat structure. Based on this research, by combining oats and peas it is possible to obtain well-structured TVP products with a concentration of up to 60 % oat protein flour. It may be possible to increase the oat content of the extrudates by combining many oats raw materials, but at the same time it is necessary to ensure that the other properties of the extrudates are preserved.

Variation of the protein and amino acid content of barley, wheat and oats were studied. Diets based on grain samples of different protein content were optimized for pigs and poultry.The study went on to optimize diets for pigs and poultry with grains of different protein contents. The amino acid and raw protein analysis was undertaken on 38 grain samples. Correlations were calculated between different variables in grain samples and linear regression analysis was conducted between the protein and amino acid composition. The best estimate for amino acid concentrations of cereals was the protein content. The relative content of amino acids decreases as protein content increases and especially so in barley and wheat. Most reliable regression equations between amino acid and protein content were made for barley and wheat samples. For oat reliable regression equations could not be made. Oats also differed by other features from barley and wheat as it correlated with different variables compared to barley and wheat. Amount of needed protein concentrate levels decreased when barley and wheat protein and amino acid contents were considered in optimization. Protein concentrate levels did not decrease when used oat sample with highest protein content.

Organic agriculture is growing steadily in Europe. Demand for organic products and pressure from policy changes in the EU have created a need for organic seed material. One of the limiting factors is the lack of organic variety testing. Currently no official organic Value of Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials or standards for organic variety testing excist in the EU. Plant breeding companies like Boreal Plant Breeding want to offer varieties for organic farmers but they lack information on the performance of their varieties in organic conditions. The main objective of this experiment was to determine the most important variety traits in organic agriculture in Finland and which of the Boreal Plant Breeding oat varieties exhibit the most favourable traits for organic growing conditions. Relationships between observed traits were also examined. A wide range of observations and measurements were performed from the trial throughout the growing season. Quality analysis of the yield were performed after harvest. The objects of examination during growing season included growth development, leaf area index (LAI), nutrient status with SPAD (Soil and Plant Analysis Development) measurements, plant height and yield components. Plant height and LAI appeared to be the best indicators for evaluation of performance potential of oat in organic conditions. SPAD value wasn’t found to have a connection to oat yield nor was it an indicator for oat LAI. High LAI increased oat height, yield and yield component shoots/m2 but effected negatively on the yield component panicles/m2 during the end of stem elongation. Plant height was a good indicator of yield level. The number of weeds and LAI value didn’t have a connection in this experiment and neither did weed number and yield. The early and late varieties varied in their reaction to the low-input growing conditions. Early varieties had generally lower yield but better yield quality than the late varieties. ‘Nella’ showed potential to be a variety with good yield quality and high yield in low-input conditions in Southern Finland. Area of cultivation and the end use of the oat are important factors in variety selection.