ENRICHED PROTEIN-GLUCAN AND BETA-GLUCAN FRACTIONS FROM HIGH-PROTEIN OATS BY AIR CLASSIFICATION

High-protein oat groats were defatted once (1X) or three times (3X) an d air-classified. The protein contents of the 1X and 3X defatted mater ials were 23.4 and 23.5%, respectively; the combined high-protein fine fractions from air classification had protein contents of 30.1 and 32 .7%. These fractions accounted for 21 and 24% of the weight (and for 2 7 and 33% of the total protein) of the 1X and 3X defatted groats, resp ectively. The coarse residue fraction (> 30 mu m) from air classificat ion of 1X and 3X defatted groats had beta-glucan contents of 16.9 and 17.7%, respectively, compared with 6.1-6.2% in the original defatted g roats. These coarse residue fractions accounted for 30 and 28% weight and 82% of total beta-glucan of the 1X and 3X defatted groats, respect ively. Useful protein shifting was 25% for the 1X and 30% for the 3X d efatted groats. Useful beta-glucan shifting was 104% for the 1X and 10 7% for the 3X defatted groats. Air classification of high-protein oat groats may have commercial potential for producing protein concentrate and enriched beta-glucan fraction in a single process.