General Mills IP Holdings Ii, LLC

General Mills, Inc.

John D McKeehen

Michael Dietsch

John H Hellweg

Xia Liu

Christine Ng

Nesli Sozer

Markus Nikinmaa

A method is described for treating bran to improve sensory attributes in food products made with the treated bran. The method includes acidifying a bran to a pH of less than 5 for a period of time sufficient to achieve an increase in soluble protein, then increasing the pH to at least 5.5. Also described are compositions including a treated bran, and methods of using a treated bran to increase bran content in foods or to improve organoleptic qualities in foods containing bran.

Functionalized bran

Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of &#x3b2;-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 &#x3b2;-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 &#x3b2;-glucan content (&#x3e;7-9%) oat bran and a low &#x3b2;-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals.

Methods for preparing oat bran enriched in beta-glucan and oat products prepared therefrom

Methods for preparing oat bran enriched in &#x3b2;-glucan and oat products prepared therefrom

Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of &#x3b2;-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 &#x3b2;-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is fractionated into a coarse and fine oat bran sub-streams. The oat bran sub-streams are each is subjected to second roller milling step and then bolted. The second bolting of oat bran is then subjected to a third round of milling and classification to form a high &#x3b2;-glucan content (&#x3e;7-9%) oat bran and a low &#x3b2;-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The methods are low cost and commercially practical. Preferably, the high &#x3b2;-glucan content oat bran and oat flour fractions can have a syringic acid to ferulic acid ratio of at least 2.5:1 indicating improved flavor. Preferably, the oat bran and oat flour have a Farinograph value of 5 to 20 minutes indicated partial gelatinization. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals.

Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of &#x3b2;-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 &#x3b2;-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 &#x3b2;-glucan content (&#x3e;7-9%) oat bran and a low &#x3b2;-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The methods are low cost and commercially practical. Preferably, the high &#x3b2;-glucan content oat bran and oat flour fractions can have a syringic acid to ferulic acid ratio of at least 2.5:1 indicating improved flavor. Preferably, the oat bran and oat flour have a Farinograph value of 5 to 20 minutes indicated partial gelatinization. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals.

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Edina, MN, United States of America

John D McKeehen