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Oat Processing

  • Monday, 13 January 2025
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Oat Processing

Oat processing can have a significant impact on the organoleptic and nutritional experience of a final product.oat processing It is not uncommon for the process to alter some of the nutrients, especially linseed (alpha linolenic acid) and vitamin B12. The unique composition of the oat grain, coupled with its subsequent processing, results in the nutrient experience associated with the end product.

To produce oat flakes and oatmeal, oats need to undergo a series of processing steps.oat processing These steps begin with cleaning the oats, removing any foreign materials like weeds or sand that may have been picked up while growing or harvesting. The oats are then graded and separated into different sizes. Larger oats are used for oat flakes, whilst smaller oats can be made into rolled or steel-cut oats. The groats are also kiln dried to stabilise the oats and prevent them from spoiling too quickly, resulting in rancidity.

Most oats are grown and harvested on farms, with some small scale producers also owning or renting their own oat mills.oat processing To maximise oat yields, a high-yielding cultivar with high protein content is typically selected. As with any crop, the oat plant requires ideal weather conditions for growth and ripening.

After a short drying time, the oats are sorted into sizes and quality levels.oat processing The oats that are deemed unfit for human consumption, known as hulls or husks, are removed using a de-husker machine. The oats that are ready for oat flakes or other foods are then sorted again, with a computer-controlled colour sorter that controls the homogeneous colouring of the oat flakes.

In order to make oat flakes, the oats are then milled (grinded). Most oat grinders use an indent separator that separates oats by width. The indent separator is designed with a series of indents on the inside face of a rotating cylinder, where oats that fit in the indents are carried through the machine and separated from those that do not (refer to Figure 2(a)). Most graders separate oats by width and weight as this improves the efficiency of the milling process.

Depending on the desired product, the oats can be rolled, cut or ground into various products like oat bran, oat flour and oat oatmeal. The rolled oats are then either light baked or toasted to form oat flakes. The toasted oats are used for oatmeal, and the oat flour is often used in biscuits or other baked products.

The oats can also be kiln-dried to increase the oat’s soluble fibre, referred to as b-glucan. This process can increase the concentration of b-glucan in oat flakes to between 12-22 %, and can also help to reduce the fattiness of the oats, whilst increasing the shelf life of the final product.

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