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Phytochrome A (phyA) is represented in plants by two species, phyA' and phyA'', with different properties and modes of action (Sineshchekov, Funct. Plant Biol., 2019, 46, 118-135). They differ by the modification of a serine(s) residue at the N-terminus, possibly, by phosphorylation. To verify if these serines could be the Ser8 and Ser18 (in Avena sativa phyA, AsphyA), whose autophosphorylation modulates AsphyA stability and sensitivity as shown with the use of the serine-to-alanine substitution AsphyA mutants (S8A, S18A and S8/18A) (Han et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 2010, 51, 596-609), we have undertaken low-temperature (85 K) fluorescence investigations of phyA in these transgenic lines. The content and proportion of phyA' and phyA'' were essentially the same in wild-type AsphyA and its mutants, and in endogenous Arabidopsis phyA. All the lines revealed a higher phyA'/phyA'' proportion upon longer germination-inducing preillumination (3 h vs. 15 min white light) supporting our earlier finding that the phyA differentiation into the subpools is light-regulated. These observations and our earlier data imply that this process involves N-terminal serine(s) different from the autophosphorylated Ser8 and Ser18 (in AsphyA) narrowing down the area of further search for the exact site(s) of the phyA modification.

Mast cells play a crucial role in allergic diseases via the release of inflammatory mediators, particularly histamine and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Avenanthramide (Avn) C, a polyphenol found mainly in oats, is known to exhibit various biological properties. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Avn C from germinated oats against mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation. For the in vitro study, RBL-2H3, mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells and rat peritoneal mast cells were used. Avn C (1-100 nM) inhibited the immunoglobulin (Ig)E-stimulated mast cells degranulation by suppressing phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and phospholipase Cγ1 and decreasing intracellular calcium levels. It inhibited IgE-stimulated secretion of inflammatory cytokines via suppression of FcεRI-mediated signaling proteins Lyn, Syk, Akt, and nuclear factor-κB. To verify the effects of Avn C in vivo, ovalbumin-induced active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) and IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) models were used. Oral administration of Avn C dose-dependently attenuated the ASA reactions, as evidenced by the inhibition of hypothermia and reduction of elevated serum histamine, IgE, and interleukin-4 levels. Avn C also inhibited the PCA reactions, such as ear swelling and plasma extravasation. Our results suggested that Avn C from germinated oats might be a possible therapeutic candidate for mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation.

Oat is rich in a wide range of phytochemicals with various physico-chemical, colloidal and interfacial properties. These characteristics are likely to influence human lipid metabolism and the subsequent effect on health following oat consumption. The aim of this work was to investigate the impact of oat materials varying in complexity on the lipolysis process. The composition, structure and digestibility of different lipid systems (emulsions, oil bodies and oil enriched in phytosterols) were determined. The surface activities of phytosterols were examined using the pendant drop technique. Differences in lipid digestibility of the oat oil emulsions and the oil bodies were clearly seen. Also, the digestion of sunflower oil was reduced proportionally to the concentration of phytosterols present. This may be due to their interfacial properties as demonstrated by the pendant drop experiments. This work highlights the importance of considering the overall structure of the system studied and not only its composition., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory activity of oligopeptides derivedfrom oat (Avena Nuda L.) (OOPs). Healthy female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned to fivegroups, given deionized water (control) and 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g/kg body weight (BW) of OOPsdaily by intragastric administration. Seven assays were performed to determine theimmunomodulatory effects of OOPs on immune organ ratios, cellular and humoral immuneresponses, macrophage phagocytosis, and natural killer (NK) cell activity. Spleen T lymphocytesubpopulations (by flow cytometry), serum cytokine and immunoglobulin levels (by multiplexsandwich immunoassays) were determined to evaluate how OOPs affected the immune system.Our results showed that OOPs could significantly improve innate and adaptive immune responsesin mice through the enhancement of cell-mediated and humoral immunity, macrophagephagocytosis capacity, and NK cell activity. We concluded that the immunomodulatory effectsmight be attributed to increased T and Th cell percentages, serum interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin(IL)-1 α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α, and granulocyte-macrophagecolony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) secretions as well as immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG, and IgMproductions. These results indicate that dietary OOPs could be considered as promisingimmunomodulators with dosages ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 g/kg BW.

This study investigated the effects of milk solution or milk proteins (casein and whey protein) on the bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of oat phenolics during in vitro gastric and pancreatic digestion. During digestion, most of oat phenolics were partially degraded by alkaline pH of pancreatic fluid (pH 7.5). For phenolic acids, both milk solution and milk protein only had a slight influence on their bioaccessibility, while exhibited a significant effect on antioxidant activity of oat phenolic extracts and bioaccessibility of avenanthramides (AVs), a kind of bioactive phenols exclusively found in oats. The antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of AVs were decreased by adding milk and casein, while significantly improved when mixed with milk whey protein. Remarkably, the bioaccessibility of AV 2c, which had the highest antioxidant activity among all phenolic compounds detected in oats, increased above 360% after intestinal digestion by mixing with whey protein. This result suggested the possibility of protecting AVs against digestive alteration and oxidation by milk whey protein. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In recent years, oats are often consumed with milk under different conditions of preparation, and there have been many oat milk products manufactured by food companies all over the world. The results of this paper showed that the adding of milk may reduce the absorption and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds from oat. However, the antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of oat phenolics were significantly increased when mixed with milk whey protein, suggesting that oats could be consumed with milk whey protein to improve their functional properties., (© 2019 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Background: Dairy and cereal products are frequently combined to create composites with enhanced nutritional benefits. Commercially available dried dairy-cereal composites are typically reconstituted and cooked to produce porridge or soup., Results: Dried fermented milk-cereal composites (FMCC) with ∼193 g kg -1 protein were prepared by blending fermented milk with parboiled oats (FMCCo), wheat (FMCCw), or barley (FMCCb), incubating the blend, drying, and milling. Cereal type significantly affected the composition of the FMCC and the properties of the reconstituted, cooked FMCC (R-FMCC). The FMCCo had a higher starch and fat content and lower levels of lactose, lactic acid, and amylose than FMCCb. The R-FMCCo had higher viscosity during cooking at 95 °C and cooling to 35 °C, and higher values of yield stress (σ 0 ), consistency index (K) and viscosity on shearing from 20 to 120 s -1 at 60 °C than R-FMCCb. The FMCCw had lower levels of fat and β-glucan than FMCCo or FMCCb, but was otherwise closer to FMMCb with respect to composition, cooking properties and flow behavior., Conclusion: Differences in composition and consistency associated with cereal type are likely to affect the nutritional value of the FMCC. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Oat is the nutritious crop containing various compounds with antioxidant properties, such as polyphenols. In this study, we investigated the effect of germination and ultrafiltration process on polyphenol and avenanthramide contents in oat as well as their cytoprotective effect. Germination of oat for 48 hr significantly increased avenanthramide (5.5 to 11.3 mg/g) and polyphenol (115 to 155 mg GAE/g) contents. The compounds were more concentrated after ultrafiltration using 10 kDa membranes (polyphenol, 206 GAE/g; avenanthramide, 18 mg/g). In addition, oat extracts significantly reduced the cellular ROS level against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) stimulation in HepG2 cells. In the mechanistic study, oat extracts induced Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus by inhibition of Keap1 expression, resulting into upregulation of γ-GCS and NQO1. In conclusion, oat germination and ultrafiltration processes increased the polyphenol content, including that of avenanthramide. These extracts protected cells from t-BHP by radical scavenging activities and induced Nrf2 pathway activation. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study presents the method for avenanthramide-concentrated extract which is unique bioactive compounds in oat. In addition, antioxidant activity and their mechanisms of the avenanthramide-enriched extracts were evaluated. The polyphenol compounds including avenanthramide were found to increase after germination and ultrafiltration, thereby improving the radical scavenging ability. These results can be utilized as data for the development of health-promoting materials using oats., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Avenanthramides are amides, with a phenylalkenoic acid (PA) and an anthranilic acid (AA) subunit, which are secondary metabolites of oat. Oat seeds were germinated, extracted, and the avenanthramides analysed by a combination of UHPLC with ion trap and high resolution ESI-MS. Typical fragmentation pathways with corresponding diagnostic fragments belonging to the PA and AA subunits were identified and summarised in a decision guideline. Based on these findings 28 unique avenanthramides were annotated in the oat seed(ling) extracts, including the new avenanthramide 6f (with a 4/5-methoxy AA subunit). Avenanthramide content increased by 25 times from seed to seedling. Avenanthramides 2p, 2c, and 2f, which are commonly described as the major avenanthramides, represented less than 20% of the total content in the seedlings. Future quantitative analyses should, therefore, include a wider range of avenanthramides to avoid underestimation of the total avenanthramide content., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Oat (Avena sativa L.) seedling extract exhibited a high degree of catalytic activities. Bioinformatics were used to identify β-amylases as abundant enzymes in the oat seedling extract. These identified oat enzymes are a member of the GH14 family. Proteins in the Avena sativa seedling extract were separated by SDS-PAGE and 2 major protein bands with an apparent molecular weights of 53 and 42 kDa were the subject of this study. These materials were digested with trypsin and the amino acid sequences of the tryptic peptides were determined by LC/ESI/MS/MS and database searches. These sequences were used to identify cDNAs from expressed sequence tags (EST) and Transcriptome Shotgun Assembly (TSA) of Avena sativa. Based upon EST and TSA sequences, at least 6 predicted different sequences were identified and assigned as β-amylases. Insights into structural characterization of the oat predicted β-amylases were analyzed using in silico approaches. The identified β-amylases conserved the two Glu residues assigned as the "putative" catalytic residues, which would act as an acid and base pair in the catalytic process. A similar core (β/α) 8 -barrel architecture was found in the predicted oat β-amylases with a specific location of the active site in a pocket-like cavity structure made at one end of this core (β/α) 8 -barrel domain. This suggests an accessibility of the non-reducing end of the substrate towards the oat β-amylases and thus confirming that are exo-acting hydrolases. The results provide a detailed view of the main residues involved in catalysis in this kind of enzyme., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The authors describe an aptamer based assay for the mycotoxin T-2. The method is making use of exponential isothermal amplification reaction (EXPAR) and fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). Free T-2 and cDNA (which is a DNA that is partially complementary to the aptamer) compete for binding to aptamer-modified magnetic beads. The cDNA collected by magnetic separation can be used as a primer to trigger EXPAR to obtain ssDNA. The C-base-rich ssDNA binds and reduces Ag(I) ion to form fluorescent AgNCs. Fluorescence is measured at excitation/emission wavelengths of 480/525 nm. T-2 can be detected by fluorometry with a detection limit as low as 30 fg·mL -1 . The method was applied to analyse spiked oat and corn, and the average recoveries ranged from 97.3 to 102.3% and from 95.9 to 107.5%, respectively. The results were in good agreement with data of the commercial ELISA kit. The assay is highly sensitive, has a wide analytical range, good specificity and reliable operation. It provides a promising alternative for the standard method for quantitative detection of T-2. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of fluorometric assay for T-2 based on aptamer-functionalized magnetic beads exponential, isothermal amplification reaction (EXPAR) and fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs).

Wholegrain oats are known to modulate the human gut microbiota and have prebiotic properties (increase the growth of some health-promoting bacterial genera within the colon). Research to date mainly attributes these effects to the fibre content; however, oat is also a rich dietary source of polyphenols, which may contribute to the positive modulation of gut microbiota. In vitro anaerobic batch-culture experiments were performed over 24 h to evaluate the impact of two different doses (1 and 3 % (w/v)) of oat bran, matched concentrations of β-glucan extract or polyphenol mix, on the human faecal microbiota composition using 16S RNA gene sequencing and SCFA analysis. Supplementation with oats increased the abundance of Proteobacteria (P <0·01) at 10 h, Bacteroidetes (P <0·05) at 24 h and concentrations of acetic and propionic acid increased at 10 and 24 h compared with the NC. Fermentation of the 1 % (w/v) oat bran resulted in significant increase in SCFA production at 24 h (86 (sd 27) v. 28 (sd 5) mm; P <0·05) and a bifidogenic effect, increasing the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium unassigned at 10 h and Bifidobacterium adolescentis (P <0·05) at 10 and 24 h compared with NC. Considering the β-glucan treatment induced an increase in the phylum Bacteroidetes at 24 h, it explains the Bacteriodetes effects of oats as a food matrix. The polyphenol mix induced an increase in Enterobacteriaceae family at 24 h. In conclusion, in this study, we found that oats increased bifidobacteria, acetic acid and propionic acid, and this is mediated by the synergy of all oat compounds within the complex food matrix, rather than its main bioactive β-glucan or polyphenols. Thus, oats as a whole food led to the greatest impact on the microbiota.

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) are the products of a large, highly complex gene family involved in host defense. TLPs also belong to the pathogenesis-related family 5 (PR-5) of plant defense proteins. Most TLPs exhibit potential antifungal activities, and their accumulation in the plant is related to many physiological processes. In this study, a gene encoding TLP named permatin with an open reading frame of 678 bp encoding a protein of 225 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 23.5 kDa was cloned from naked oat leaves. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that permatin shares high homology with a number of other TLPs among diverse taxa. Model of structure by homology modeling showed that permatin consists of an acidic cleft region consistent with most TLPs. Recombinant NusA-permatin was overexpressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21 and purified by Heparin column combined with Sephacryl S-200 column. The protein exhibited antifungal activity to Fusarium oxysporum (half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC 50  = 21.42 μM). Morphological observation showed that NusA-permatin can induce mycelium deformation of F. oxysporum, the cell membrane is blurred, and the diaphragm is not obvious. NusA-permatin also causes membrane permeabilization and reactive oxygen species accumulation in the mycelium of F. oxysporum. Permatin may play an important role in the disease resistance responses of plants against pathogen attacks through its antifungal activity.

The use of grain proteins in various types of meat products is common practice. A reliable detection of these food ingredients is required to control specifications and regarding food fraud and allergenic potential. Consequently, a sensitive HPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous detection of barley, maize, oats, rice, rye and wheat proteins in meat products was developed. After protein extraction and tryptic digestion, three to four selected marker peptides for each grain species were measured by HPLC-MS/MS. Emulsion-type sausages with grain-based protein concentrations in the range of 5-1000 mg/kg and blank values were produced. The limits of detection of the method were ≤5 or ≤10 mg grain protein/kg meat product for each grain species and no false-positive or -negative results were obtained. The detectability of the marker peptides only slightly decreased after storage and grilling of sausages, whereas the influence of the canning process was noticeably higher., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study describes the valorization of rice and oat husks by obtaining cellulose nanocrystals for the production of aerogels for food packaging applications. Commercial cellulose was used as a control sample. Nanocrystals from cellulose were obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis and mechanical treatment at high pressure. The morphology, particle size, functional groups, crystallinity, and thermal properties of the cellulose nanocrystals were analyzed. The morphology, functional groups, crystallinity, water absorption capability, and zeta potential of aerogels were also analyzed. Cellulose nanocrystals show different structural properties and crystallinity depending on the source of the cellulose. The average diameter of the nanocrystals varied from 16.0 to 28.8 nm. The aerogels prepared with cellulose nanocrystals showed a porous and uniform structure with a water absorption capacity between 264.2% and 402.8% at 25 °C. The aerogel of oat cellulose nanocrystals showed a larger pore size than that of eucalyptus cellulose nanocrystals, and this may have influenced the lowest water absorption capacity of the aerogels of eucalyptus cellulose nanocrystals. These results show that agroindustrial residues have promising applications in various industrial fields and could be used as aerogel absorbers of water in food packaging., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Natural polyphenols are promising anti-aging compounds not only for their antioxidant activity, but also their ability to activate specific cellular pathways mediating the aging process. Avenanthramide C (Avn C), found exclusively in oats, is a natural antioxidant associated with free radical scavenging; however, it is how this compound elicits other protective effects. We investigated the intracellular antioxidant activity of Avn C and other cytoprotective potential in normal human skin fibroblasts exposed to extracellular stress. Avn C reduced H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress by reducing intracellular free radical levels and antioxidant gene transcripts. Avn C also resulted in decreased levels of gene transcripts encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to H 2 O 2 or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). This reduction in cytokine gene transcription occurred concomitantly with reduced phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65, and decreased NF-κB DNA binding. Avn C further induced heme oxygense-1 (HO-1) expression through increased Nrf2 DNA binding activity, demonstrating a second mechanism by which Avn C attenuates cellular stress. Collectively, our findings indicate that Avn C protects normal human skin fibroblasts against oxidative stress and inflammatory response through NF-κB inhibition and Nrf2/HO-1 activation.

The study was aimed to determine whether treatment with oat oligopeptides (OOPs) could modulate hyperglycemia related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Sprague⁻Dawley (SD) rats. Diabetic SD rats modeling by a joint effect of high-calorie diet for 45 days and twice intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg streptozotocin at one-week interval were observed with or without OOPs administration (0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 g/kg Body Weight) for 12 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose test tolerance (OGTT), serum insulin, level of antioxidant, and hepatic enzymes were measured. In addition, frequency of micturition was recorded in this study for the first time. It was observed that the administration of OOPs (2.00 g/kg Body Weight) resulted in a significant decrease ( p < 0.05) in FBG since 6th week and a significant decrease ( p < 0.05) in the OGTT-AUC on 6th and 10th week. In addition, the administration of OOPs (2.00 g/kg Body Weight) reduced HOMA-IR index and 24-h urine volume significantly ( p < 0.05) whereas increased SOD activity significantly ( p < 0.05). These results suggested that OOPs may have a hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats.

This study was aimed to examine the characteristics of three isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains (HG24, M1, and TG1), and to evaluate their effects on fermentation characteristics, nutritive value, and in vitro digestibility in a variety of substrates. The experiments were conducted with Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schred.), and oat (Avena sativa L.) in laboratory silo (1 L) for ensiling 30 days. All the treated silages had significantly (p < 0.05) higher in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and lower undesirable microorganism populations compared with controls. In Italian ryegrass and oat silages, all the inoculants improved the fermentation quality, evidenced by distinctly (p < 0.05) higher LA contents and ratios of LA to acetic acid, and lower pH, butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen contents. Strains HG24 and commercial inoculant G (Lactobacillus plantarum MTD-1) performed better than strains M1 and TG1, indicated by obviously (p < 0.05) higher LA contents, LAB numbers, and IVDMD. In tall fescue silage, all the isolated LAB strains (HG24, M1 and TG1) markedly (p < 0.05) increased IVDMD compared with strain G. Strain HG24 is recommended as a good LAB inoculant for ensiling in various forages., (© 2018 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Extruded snack products were made from an oat fiber-corn flour matrix fortified with 1.5% (w/w) curcuminoids (750 mg curcuminoids/100 g) to improve the solubility and stability of curcuminoids. The effects of extruder feed moisture content (21%, 28%, and 35%) and screw speed (200 and 300 rpm) on the extrusion parameters and physical properties of final snacks were investigated. Curcuminoids lost during extrusion and curcuminoids loss during subsequent drying of extrudates were analyzed, to separate the losses occurring in each unit process. Drying post extrusion (at 50 °C for 4 hr) was essential to obtain a crunchy shelf stable product (5% moisture). Curcuminoids loss during extrusion was from 17% to 84%, with high loss for the extrusion with low feed moisture content (21%). A further curcuminoids loss of 4% to 44% occurred during drying, with much higher loss for the extrudate with high moisture content. Total curcuminoids retained after extrusion and drying was 12% to 41% (59% to 88% loss), equivalent to 180 to 616 mg curcuminoids retained per 100 g snack, levels within recommended daily dose. Curcuminoids retained after drying was stable during 80 days of storage at 25 °C. The results highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of each unit process separately (for example, extrusion and drying) on the stability of curcuminoids for the development of healthier extruded snacks. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Extruded snacks products were developed by fortifying the snacks with oat fiber and curcuminoids in order to address the need for a healthy ready to eat food products. Some extrusion characteristics were selected to produce snack products which have favorable properties in terms of consumer acceptance., (© 2019 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

A chitinase was purified from naked oat (Avena chinensis) seeds using simple chromatographic techniques. Its molecular weight and isoelectric point were determined as 35 kDa and 8.9, respectively. The purified chitinase exhibited specific activity of 3.6 U/mg and 15.6% yield using colloidal chitin as substrate. Partial amino acid sequence analysis and homology search indicated that it probably belonged to Class I plant chitinase, glycosyl hydrolase family 19. With chitin as substrate, the optimum pH and temperature of the chitinase were pH 7.0 and 40°C, respectively. The chitinase was remarkably stable from 30°C up to 50°C, but was inactivated at high temperatures above 85°C. Antifungal activity in vitro tests demonstrated this purified chitinase had potent, dose-dependent inhibitory activity against the fungi Panus conchatus and Trichoderma reesei. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Chitinase has broad applications in many fields including the food industry and is recognized as one of the antifungal substances with potential use in plant disease resistance or biological control in agriculture. This study developed cost-effective purification methods for producing chitinase from naked oat (Avena chinensis) seeds, which may favor large-scale production of the enzyme. The remarkable stability of the chitinase at moderate temperatures (30°C-50°C), makes it a potentially useful enzyme in bioprocessing to produce chitooligosaccharides for various applications in the food, health, and agriculture sectors., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The present work was aimed to study the effect of heat-moisture treatment (HMT) at 30% moisture content and temperature of 100 °C/12 h on physicochemical and functional properties of starches from eight Indian oat cultivars. As compared to native starches, HMT starches had significantly (p < 0.05) lower amylose content (6.18-16.87%), swelling power (11.4-14.3 g/g), solubility (4.7-8.5%) and proportion of B and C type starch granules. A reduction in starch paste clarity after HMT for all the cultivar starches was observed. The results revealed lower pasting viscosities for HMT starches in comparison to native starches, thereby indicating their thermostability, and lower retrogradation. The shape of oat starch granules did not change after HMT. Both native and HMT starches showed similar A-type X-ray diffraction pattern. Among all cultivars, HMT starch from OS-7 cv. had the lowest amylose content, swelling power, solubility, B- and C-type starch granules and lower peak and breakdown viscosities. HMT starches could be used as a substitute of chemically modified starches with the advantage of being safe and a greener modification. Such modifications will enhance versatility of oat starches in development of various fabricated food products., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the physicochemical characteristics of blended low-protein wheat (LW) and oat flour. Additionally, quality changes in noodles made from blends treated with HHP were investigated. Crude protein and fiber contents of LW were not affected by HHP; however, those of blends were significantly higher than those of LW (p < 0.05). Water-holding capacity (WHC) of blends increased with HHP treatment. The peak viscosity of LW did not differ significantly because of HHP, and the peak and final viscosities of blends increased upon oat flour addition. The hardness, gumminess, chewiness of noodles made using LW improved with the addition of oat flour combined with HHP. The results indicated that the use of blends containing LW and oat flour as well as HHP treatment improved the quality and properties of noodles made using LW., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the application of selenium (Se) ions directly to the leaf surface can protect plants against infection by the fungal toxin zearalenone (ZEA). The experiments were performed for the most common and agronomically important crops such as wheat, oat, and barley (both tolerant and sensitive varieties) because mycotoxin accumulation in plants is the cause of many diseases in animals and people., Results: ZEA at a concentration of 10 µmol L -1 either alone or in combination with Se (5 µmol L -1 Na 2 SeO 4 ) was applied to the second leaf of seedlings. Visualization of leaf temperature profiles by infrared thermography demonstrated a decrease in temperature at the location of ZEA infection that was more noticeable in sensitive genotypes. The presence of Se significantly suppressed changes at the site of ZEA application in all tested plants, especially the tolerant genotypes. Microscopic observations confirmed that foliar administration of ZEA resulted in its penetration to deeper localized cells and that damage induced by ZEA (mainly to chloroplasts) decreased after Se application. Analyses of antioxidant enzymes demonstrated the involvement of Se in antioxidation mechanisms, in particular by activating SOD and CAT under ZEA-induced stress conditions., Conclusion: The foliar application of Se to seedling leaves may be a non-invasive method of protecting crops against the first steps of ZEA infection. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

This review summarizes the analytical methods that have been developed for quantification and characterization of oat proteins. These include sampling, sample preparation, extraction, quantification, separation, detection, and characterization of oat proteins. The review also provides a comparison of different methods for the determination of protein fraction of oat and the efficiency thereof. We conclude that there is a need for further validation of existing data or methods and for a standard methodology to quantify oat proteins.

We report a green synthesis of oatmeal ZnO/silver composites in the presence of L-glutamine as an electrochemical sensor for Pb 2+ detection. The synthesis was performed via the direct reduction of Ag + in the presence of L-glutamine in NaOH. X-ray diffraction indicated that the Ag + was completely reduced to metallic Ag. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray results confirmed an oatmeal-like morphology of the ZnO with the presence of Ag. The FESEM images showed the effect of L-glutamine on the ZnO morphology. The EIS results confirmed a significant decrease in the charge transfer resistance of the modified glassy carbon electrode due to the presence of Ag. From the differential pulse voltammetry results, a linear working range for the concentration of Pb 2+ between 5 and 6 nM with LOD of 0.078 nM (S/N = 3) was obtained. The sensitivity of the linear segment is 1.42 μA nM -1  cm -2 . The presence of L-glutamine as the capping agent and stabilizer decreases the size of Ag nanoparticles and prevents the agglomeration of ZnO, respectively. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

This clinical trial was conducted to assess the lipid-lowering activity of oat noodles by replacing partial staple food (wheat or rice noodle) in normal and mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects. Totally 84 healthy and mild hypercholesterolemic subjects were recruited and divided into 2 groups as experimental (oat noodles) and placebo (wheat noodles) and instructed to consume 100 g of oat noodles or wheat noodles (replacing one or two meals/day) for 10 weeks and followed by 2 weeks of follow up (without noodle consumption). Various anthropometric measurements and biochemical analysis were carried out during initial (baseline), 2nd, 6th, 10th and 12th week (follow-up). Consumption of oat noodles by replacing staple food for 10 weeks significantly reduced (**p < 0.01) the levels of total cholesterol (TC; 17.46%) and low-density lipoprotein LDL-c (19.03%) in both healthy and mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects. However, the hypocholesterolemic effect is significantly higher in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects as compared with normal subjects. A pronounced decline (*p < 0.05) in the levels of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) markers including TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios and blood pressure (SBP; 11.09% and DBP; 7.48%) were observed in oat noodles supplemented subjects as equivalence with the placebo group. The partial replacement of staple food with oat noodle could considerably improve the health status of all subjects especially in hypercholesterolemic subjects and thus lower the risk of CVDs., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.)

In this study, a two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of pesticide residues and contaminants in whole wheat grains and oats. The samples were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile and water and were injected into the two-dimensional LC-MS/MS system without any further clean-up or sample preparation. Samples were analyzed with four different matrix matched calibrations. Matrix effects were evaluated by comparing analyte signals in the respective matrix matched standard with the neat solvent standards. The final method was validated according to the current Eurachem validation guide and SANTE document. The number of successfully validated analytes throughout all three validation levels in oats and wheat, respectively, were as follows: 330 and 316 out of 370 pesticides, 6 and 13 out of 18 pyrrolizidine alkaloids and 7 out of 9 regulated mycotoxins. Moreover, both plant growth regulators mepiquat and chlormequat as well as the tropane alkaloids atropine and scopolamine met the validation criteria. The majority of pesticides showed limits of detection below 1 µg kg -1 , pyrrolizidine alkaloids below 0.7 µg kg -1 , tropane alkaloids below 0.2 µg kg -1 , growth regulators below 0.7 µg kg -1 and mycotoxins below 8 µg kg -1 in both matrices.

Two new endo-1,4-beta-xylanases encoding genes EpXyn1 and EpXyn3 were isolated from mesophilic fungus Eupenicillium parvum 4-14. Based on analysis of catalytic domain and phylogenetic trees, the xylanases EpXYN1 (404 aa) and EpXYN3 (220 aa) belong to glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 10 and 11, respectively. Both EpXYN1 and EpXYN3 were successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris and the recombinant enzymes were characterized using beechwood xylan, birchwood xylan, or oat spelt xylan as substrates, respectively. The optimum temperatures and pH values were 75 °C and 5.5 for EpXYN1, and 55 °C and 5.0 for EpXYN3. EpXYN1 exhibited a high stability at high temperature (65 °C) or at pH values from 8 to 10. EpXYN3 kept over 80% enzymatic activity after treatment at pH values from 3 to 10. The specific activities of EpXYN1 and EpXYN3 were 384.42 and 214.20 U/mg using beechwood xylan as substrate, respectively. EpXYN1 showed lower K m values and higher specific activities toward different xylans compared to EpXYN3. Thin-layer chromatography analysis indicated that the hydrolysis profiles of xylans or xylo-oligosacharides were different by EpXYN1and EpXYN3. EpXYN3 had a higher efficiency than EpXYN1 in production of feruloylated oligosaccharides (FOs) from de-starched wheat bran. The maximum levels of FOs released by EpXYN1 and EpXYN3 were 11.1 and 14.4 μmol/g, respectively. In conclusion, the two xylanases are potential candidates for various industrial applications.

Purpose: Liquids have higher ingestion and gastric-emptying rates, resulting in rapid glycemic response. They are also less satiating than solid foods. This study examined if the addition of plant proteins alter postprandial glucose, insulin, triglycerides, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), glycogen-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and appetitive responses to a sugar-sweetened beverage., Methods: This was a randomized, crossover acute feeding study consisting of four treatments: chocolate beverage alone (50 g carbohydrate), or added with 24 g oat, pea or rice proteins. Twenty Chinese males (mean ± SD age 26 ± 5 years; body mass index 21.5 ± 1.7 kg/m 2 ) ingested the test drink after an overnight fast. Venous blood samples and subjective appetite ratings were collected before test beverage and at fixed intervals for 180 min. Blood biochemical data and appetite ratings were compared using repeated-measures ANOVA., Results: Significant interaction effects were found in postprandial glucose excursions (time × protein effects, p = 0.003). Glucose iAUC was lower in pea and rice proteins, although not significantly (p > 0.385). Insulin iAUC was significantly higher in the oat (p = 0.035) and pea (p = 0.036) protein beverages. GIP and GLP-1 release in a sub-sample (n = 10) followed a comparable order as insulin release (p = 0.397 and 0.454, respectively). Significant interaction effects were found in fullness ratings (p = 0.024), and a trend of greater suppression of hunger and desire-to-eat was also documented (p = 0.088 and 0.080, respectively)., Conclusions: Plant proteins altered the glycemic and appetitive responses of Asian males to a sugar-sweetened beverage. Food-based interventions are useful in promoting glycemic control. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT02933424.

Phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of 20 oat genotypes differing in hull color were investigated. Phenolic aldehydes, phenolic acids, avenanthramides and mono-, and diglycerides were identified in the soluble phenolic fraction of the genotypes. The bound phenolic fraction proved to be less diverse with phenolic aldehydes, phenolic acids and a ferulic acid dehydrodimer detected. Investigating the scavenging capacity of the hull and groat toward 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), an increased antioxidant activity (AOA) of hull compared to groats and a color dependence of the hull AOA could be observed. Principal component analysis on the determined variables revealed that the black-hulled samples were different from the white ones due to their increased phenolic content detected in the hull. However, reddish-hulled varieties were grouping with the accessions of the other colored groups. In addition, a distinction between spring and winter cultivars was also observed., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Inclusion of oats in a gluten-free (GF) diet can provide whole grain nutritional benefits to celiac disease (CD) patients, but there has been debate regarding oat safety for these individuals. This is because of conflicting research findings, with inconsistencies attributed to varying CD subject's sensitivities to "pure" oats. Clinical trials to date have assumed oats provided to subjects to be lightly contaminated, if at all. This assumption is challenged here since oat's propensity to be "kernel" contaminated with gluten sources like wheat and barley has recently been shown to significantly complicate confirmation of a GF state. We therefore hypothesize that clinical studies may have inadvertently provided pill-like gluten kernels intermittently to study subjects, leading to adverse outcomes that could potentially explain inconsistencies between study conclusions. To test this theory, potential gluten contamination of oats used in a cross-section of 12 important oat feeding studies has been estimated, done according to descriptions of oats used, published contamination rates for various oat types, and study oat dosages. Expected gluten exposures were found to be at levels to elicit clinical effects in a large portion of CD patients, correlating with observed clinical reaction rates in those studies (P value = .0006). Estimated gluten doses were found insufficient, however, to affect morphological outcomes, whereas only 1 study had 1 case. Our analysis provides a new perspective with which to view oat safety study conclusions and justifies new clinical trials using today's higher-purity GF oats to settle the oat safety for CD patient debate., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a toxic metabolite of Fusarium genera that frequently contaminates cereal grains. India being a tropical country provides suitable conditions for fungal invasion to the cereals. In the absence of any regulatory limits for ZEA in India, the present study was carried out to analyze the contamination levels of ZEA in different cereal samples consumed by Indian population and its exposure assessment through intake. Out of 117 cereal samples comprising of wheat, rice, corn, and oats, 70 (84%) were found to be positive for ZEA contamination, among which 24 (33%) samples exceeded the permissible limits proposed by European Union when analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The positive samples were further validated by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS) analysis. Based on the quantitative estimation of ZEA contamination in cereals and their daily consumption values, the probable daily intake of ZEA was found to be 16.9- and 7.9-fold higher in rice and wheat samples, respectively, than the tolerable daily intake prescribed by European Food Safety Authority. The presence of ZEA at high levels indicates a higher exposure risk for Indian population as wheat and rice are staple foods in India. Thus, there is an immediate need to set the permissible levels of ZEA in India to safeguard the health of 1.34 billion people. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: High levels of ZEA contaminated wheat and rice samples suggest that the consumers are at a greater exposure risk. The study will help the Indian regulatory bodies to set the permissible level of ZEA in different cereal grains so as to safeguard the health of common masses. This can happen by simply adopting to European Food Safety Authority standards or depending on the consumption pattern of food and its occurrence, the new safe limit can be prescribed in India like in other Asian countries., (© 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

The number of patients with bone metabolic disorders including osteoporosis is increasing worldwide. These disorders often facilitate bone fractures, which seriously impact the patient's quality of life and could lead to further health complications. Bone homeostasis is tightly regulated to balance bone resorption and formation. However, many anti-osteoporotic agents are broadly categorized as either bone forming or anti-resorptive, and their therapeutic use is often limited due to unwanted side effects. Therefore, safe and effective therapeutic agents are needed for osteoporosis. This study aims to clarify the bone protecting effects of oat bran water extract (OBWE) and its mode of action. OBWE inhibited RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand)-induced osteoclast differentiation by blocking c-Fos/NFATc1 through the alteration of I-κB. Furthermore, we found that OBWE enhanced BMP-2-stimulated osteoblast differentiation by the induction of Runx2 via Smad signaling molecules. In addition, the anti-osteoporotic activity of OBWE was also evaluated using an in vivo model. OBWE significantly restored ovariectomy-induced bone loss. These in vitro and in vivo results showed that OBWE has the potential to prevent and treat bone metabolic disorders including osteoporosis.

Fermentation conditions for β-1,3-1,4-glucanase (TaGlu34) production in submerged culture by a thermophilic fungus, Thermoascus aurantiacus CAU830 were optimized. The highest enzyme activity of 3741 U/mL was obtained, and the crude enzyme was purified to homogeneity with a purification fold of 7.3 and a recovery yield of 11.6%. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be approximately 34 kDa on SDS-PAGE. TaGlu34 was most active at pH 6.0 and 75 °C, respectively. It showed excellent thermostability with thermal denaturing half-lives of 209, 130 and 69 min at 50, 60 and 70 °C, respectively. TaGlu34 exhibited strict substrate specificity towards barley β-glucan (13,527 U/mg), oat β-glucan (12,502 U/mg) and lichenan (9225 U/mg), but displayed no activity on other tested polysaccharides including laminarin, xylan, pullulan, CMC and starch. TaGlu34 hydrolyzed barley β-glucan and lichenan to yield both mainly disaccharide and trisaccharide, suggesting that it should be an endo type β-1,3-1,4-glucanase. Furthermore, TaGlu34 efficiently degraded the β-glucan component in oat bran to produce mainly oligosaccharides with degrees of polymerization (DP) 3-5, with the highest conversion ratio of 47.1%. The high yield and excellent enzymatic properties of TaGlu34 may make it a good candidate in industries., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Gas cell stabilization in dough by its aqueous phase constituents is arguably more important in non-wheat than in wheat dough due to weaker protein networks in the former. Dough liquor (DL), a model for the dough aqueous phase, was isolated from fermented wheat, rye, barley, and oat doughs by ultracentrifugation. DL composition (protein, lipid, arabinoxylan, β-glucan) and air/water interfacial functionality [foaming, viscosity, surface tension, surface dilatational modulus (E)] were related to bread quality. Poor foaming and low E of wheat DL were ascribed to lipids and proteins co-occurring at the interface. Nonetheless, the presence of a gluten network resulted in high-quality wheaten breads. Homogeneous and heterogeneous crumb structures of rye and barley breads, respectively, were attributed to high and low E values of their respective DLs. High lipid content and low surface tension of oat DL indicated a lipid-dominated interface, which may explain the heterogeneous crumb structure of oat breads., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The positive influence of animal-based protein supplementation during muscle-damaging exercise has been widely studied. However, the effects of plant-based proteins remain unclear and require further clarification. This study investigated the protective role of oat protein against exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD), subsequent inflammation, and loss of performance induced by downhill running. Subjects consumed either oat protein (25 g protein) or a placebo for 14 days prior to a downhill running test and then for 4 days thereafter. Treatments with oat protein for 19 days markedly alleviated eccentric exercise induced skeletal muscle soreness, and reduced the elevation of plasma IL-6 concentrations and serum creatine kinase, myoglobin and C reactive protein contents. In addition, oat protein supplementation significantly inhibited limb edema following damaging exercise, and the adverse effects on muscle strength, knee-joint range of motion, and vertical jump performance were lessened. Furthermore, the administration of oat protein facilitated recovery from exhaustive downhill running in this study. These findings demonstrated that oat protein supplementation has the potential to alleviate the negative effects of eccentric exercise in untrained young males.

Background: A beverage was developed using beta-glucan and whey protein isolate (WPI). The sensory attributes and changes of the physiochemical properties (pH value, total acidity, total soluble solids, sugar-acid ratio, color, viscosity, turbidity, and browning index) of the beverage during 48-h storage were evaluated by comparison with the commercial product and a blank sample., Results: The sweetness, smoothness, and overall acceptance of the developed beverage were similar to the commercial and blank samples. The suspension stability of the developed beverage was significantly better than that of the commercial products. The total acidity of the beverage decreased considerably after 36-h storage. Regarding color changes, the three samples showed a significant increase in L and b values after 6 h of storage. The viscosity of the developed beverage rose significantly after 24 h of storage. The increase in the concentration of beta-glucan in the mixed hydrocolloid caused a significant elevation in the levels of viscosity., Conclusion: The sensory and physicochemical analysis results obtained by the panelists revealed that the developed beverage was acceptable and possessed stable physicochemical attributes. Our present findings indicate that the developed beverage has excellent potential for commercialization. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Oat bran has drawn great attention within human research for its potential role in improving gut health. However, research regarding the impact of oat bran on nutrient utilization and intestinal functions in pigs is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of oat bran on nutrient digestibility, intestinal microbiota, and inflammatory responses in the hindgut of growing pigs. Twenty-six growing pigs were fed either a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 10% oat bran (OB) within a 28 day feeding trial. Results showed that digestibility of dietary gross energy, dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein were lower in the OB group compared to the CON group on day 14, but no differences were observed between the two groups on day 28. In the colon, the relative abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) associated with Prevotella , Butyricicoccus , and Catenibacterium were higher, while those associated with Coprococcus and Desulfovibrio were lower in the OB group compared to the CON group. Oat bran decreased mRNA expression of caecal interleukin-8 (IL-8), as well as colonic IL-8, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of the pigs. In summary, oat bran treatment for 28 day did not affect dietary nutrient digestibility, but promoted the growth of cellulolytic bacteria and ameliorated inflammatory reactions in the hindgut of growing pigs.

Beta 1-3, 1-4 glucans ("beta-glucans") are one of the key components of the cell wall of cereals, complementing the main structural component cellulose. Beta-glucans are also an important source of soluble fibre in foods containing oats with claims of other beneficial nutritional properties such as plasma cholesterol lowering in humans. Key to the function of beta-glucans is their molecular weight and because of their high polydispersity - molecular weight distribution. Analytical ultracentrifugation provides a matrix-free approach (not requiring separation columns or media) to polymer molecular weight distribution determination. The sedimentation coefficient distribution is converted to a molecular weight distribution via a power law relation using an established procedure known as the Extended Fujita approach. We establish and apply the power law relation and Extended Fujita method for the first time to a series of native and processed oat beta-glucans. The application of this approach to beta-glucans from other sources is considered.

This research was carried out to study phytochemical profile, in vitro antioxidant capacity, reducing power, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory activities and simulated gastrointestinal digestion of 7-day old cereal sprouts: spelt wheat 'Nirvana' (WSSpe), wheat 'Simonida' (WSSim), oat 'Golozrni' (OSG) and oat 'Jadar' (OSJ). OSG expressed significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) total phenols (TPC) and flavonoids content (TFC), antioxidant capacities (DPPH and ABTS assays) and reducing power (EC 50 DPPH  = 2.12 mg/ml; EC 50 ABTS  = 0.87 mg/ml; EC 0.5 RP  = 12.24 mg/ml) as well as anti-hyperglycemic activity (EC 50 AH gA  = 0.96 mg/ml). WSSpe had the highest content of chlorophyll (131.23 mg/100 g) and carotenoids (22.84 mg/100 g). WSSim possessed the most potent anti-inflammatory activity (2.71 mg/ml), though not significantly different from OSG (2.77 mg/ml). The in vitro simulation of gastro-intestinal digestion showed higher release of phenolic compounds in intestinal than in gastric fluid., (© 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Oat bran is suggested to attenuate atherosclerotic conditions by regulating dyslipidemia, endothelial function, and oxidative damage. Through the measurement of oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), oxidative stress, and inflammation status in liver and heart tissues of apolipoprotein E -/- (ApoE -/- ), mice fed with high fat diet (HFD) or HFD with oat bran (HFD + Oat) were investigated. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), PUFA and over 40 types of its oxidized products were assessed. The HFD + Oat group had augmented adrenic acid (ADA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and suppressed n-3 docosapentaenoic acid levels in the liver tissues compared to the HFD group. Arachidonic acid (ARA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) levels were elevated and ADA was suppressed in the heart tissues of the HFD + Oat group compared to the HFD group. Furthermore, enzymatically mediated oxidized ARA product levels (9-, 11- and 20-HETE [hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid], and PGF 2α ) were augmented and those of the oxidized DHA products (4-, 7-, 10-, 11-, 13-, and 14-HDHA [hydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid]) were reduced in the liver tissues of the HFD + Oat group. It also increased 17-F 2t -dihomo-isoprostane and 7-F 2t -dihomo-isofuran derived from nonenzymatic oxidation of ADA in the heart and liver tissues, and those from ALA namely 16-F 1t -phytoprostane and 16(RS)-13-epi-STΔ 14 -9-phytofuran. Our study showed oat bran to be a weak antioxidant and lacked anti-inflammatory properties in atherosclerotic mice. Elevation of oxidized PUFA products that are potentially proinflammatory and vasoconstrictors (HETE, PGF 2α ) with simultaneous reduction of those that are anti-inflammatory (HDHA) may not be desirable in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis., (© 2018 AOCS.)

Ceramides (CERs) are the backbone of the intercellular lipid lamellae of the stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the skin. Skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and aged skin are characterized by dysfunctional skin barrier and dryness which are associated with reduced levels of CERs. Replenishing the depleted epidermal CERs with exogenous CERs has been shown to have beneficial effects in improving the skin barrier and hydration. The exogenous CERs such as phyto-derived CERs (PhytoCERs) can be delivered deep into the SC using novel topical formulations. This, however, requires investigating the rate and extent of skin permeation of CERs. In this study, an LC/APCI-MS method to detect and quantify PhytoCERs in different layers of the skin has been developed and validated. The method was used to investigate the skin permeation of PhytoCERs using Franz diffusion cells after applying an amphiphilic cream containing PhytoCERs to the surface of ex vivo human skin. As plant-specific CERs are not commercially available, well-characterized CERs isolated from oat (Avena abyssinica) were used as reference standards for the development and validation of the method. The method was linear over the range of 30-1050 ng/mL and sensitive with limit of detection and quantification of 10 and 30 ng/mL, respectively. The method was also selective, accurate, and precise with minimal matrix effect (with mean matrix factor around 100%). Even if more than 85% of oat CERs in the cream remained in the cream after the incubation periods of 30, 100, and 300 min, it was possible to quantify the small quantities of oat CERs distributed across the SC, epidermis, and dermis of the skin indicating the method's sensitivity. Therefore, the method can be used to investigate the skin permeation of oat CERs from the various pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical products without any interference from the skin constituents such as the epidermal lipids. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Plant-derived phase II metabolites of T-2 toxin (T2) and HT-2 toxin (HT2) were first described in 2011 and further characterized in the following years. Since then, some efforts have been made to understand their biosynthesis, occurrence, toxicity, toxicokinetics, and finally relevance for consumers. Thus, the probably most important question is whether and how these metabolites contribute to toxicity upon hydrolysis either during food processing or the gastrointestinal passage. To answer this question, firstly, knowledge on the correct stereochemistry of T2 and HT2 glucosides is important as this affects hydrolysis and chemical behavior. So far, contradictory results have been published concerning the number and anomericity of occurring glucosides. For this reason, we set up different strategies for the synthesis of mg-amounts of T2, HT2, and T2 triol glucosides in both α and ß configuration. All synthesized glucosides were fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry and used as references for the analysis of naturally contaminated food samples to validate or invalidate their natural occurrence. Generally, 3-O-glucosylation was observed with two anomers of HT2 glucoside being present in contaminated oats. In contrast, only one anomer of T2 glucoside was found. The second aspect of this study addresses the stability of the glucosides during thermal food processing. Oat flour was artificially contaminated with T2 and HT2 glucosides individually and extruded at varying initial moisture content and temperature. All four glucosides appear to be more stable during food extrusion than the parent compounds with the glucosidic bond not being hydrolyzed.

Avenanthramides (AVAs), unique phytochemicals in oat, have attracted an increasing amount of attention due to their outstanding health benefits. However, the chemical profile and the levels of AVAs in commercial oat products as well as their health benefits have not been examined in detail. In the present study, a total of 29 AVA aglycones and AVA glucosides were identified and characterized from oat bran using NMR (1D and 2D NMR) and LC-MS techniques. Among them, 17 novel AVA glucosides were reported in oat bran for the first time. The most abundant AVA glucoside, 2c-3'- O-glc, had a similar growth inhibitory activity with the major AVA, 2c, against HCT-116 and HT-29 human colon cancer cells, indicating glucosylation does not affect the growth inhibitory effects of AVAs. Furthermore, the levels of all individual AVAs in 13 commercial oat products were analyzed using HPLC-MS/MS. The total AVAs contents in various oat products ranged from 9.22 to 61.77 mg/kg (fresh weight).

Oat bran was fermented by filamentous fungi to improve the extractability of β-glucan. Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology were used to obtain the maximum extractability of β-glucan. Inoculum volume, fermentation temperature, and time were evaluated as three variables. Under optimal fermentation conditions, the extractability of β-glucan in oat bran increased to 45.57 ± 1.82% and 51.10 ± 2.32% by Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus oryzae, respectively. The extractability was about 3-fold of that before fermentation (16.86 ± 0.76%). Fermentation of oat bran by Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus oryzae reduced the molecular weight of the extracted β-glucan from 6.74 × 10 5 to 2.84 × 10 5 and 2.20 × 10 5  Da, respectively. Correspondingly, the apparent viscosity of the extracted β-glucan decreased after fermentation. But the increased extractability compensated for the reduced molecular weight in the formation of viscous solution. The molecular structure and cellotriosyl/cellotetraosyl ratio were not affected by filamentous fungi fermentation., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The influence of glucose syrup on the retrogradation of cereal starches was investigated. Laboratory isolated starches from wheat (WS) and oats (OS - oat starch and ROS - residual oat starch) were used in this research. ROS was isolated from the flour left after the industrial separation of β-glucans. Gelatinization temperature of oat starches (63.82°C and 64.01°C for OS and ROS, respectively) was higher than for WS (62.26°C), whereas gelatinization enthalpy for oat starches (8.87J/g and 9.09J/g for OS and ROS, respectively) was lower than for WS (9.99J/g). Moreover, retrogradation percentage (%R) was similar for both oat starches (29.76% and 27.72% for OS and ROS, respectively), and was substantially lower than for WS (42.04%). The introduction of glucose syrup into system reduced the extent of the retrogradation. Rate of the process was suppressed for WS and ROS, whereas for OS it was increased. β-Glucan production process had no significant effect on the gelatinization and retrogradation of oat starch., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Whole oat and rice flours were mixed to develop instant flours by a high pressure and low mechanical shear extrusion process. The screw profile was designed aiming to obtain an infant food with gelatinized starch and high hydration ability. Response surface methodology was selected to study the impact of operating parameters such as temperature and screw speed (73-186 °C; 109-391 rpm) on physicochemical and pasting properties of the final extruded product. The main challenge of this study was to process high oats content, since they are characterized by high lipid and fiber content, which impact on material processing., Results: The optimal response was achieved at 170 °C and 350 rpm. The optimal expansion ratio, bulk density, water absorption index, and water solubility index were 2.24, 289.65 kg m -3 , 6.42 g g -1 , and 4.75 g g -1 respectively. Overall, both temperature and screw speed affected the responses studied, except for water absorption index (only screw speed affected this response). Although lipids from oats reduce the expansion ratio of extrudates compared with samples containing higher starch proportions, their lipids protect the starch granules from mechanical degradation when higher screw speed values are used. As a result, both ungelatinized and gelatinized starches may be found in extrudates, which was confirmed by pasting property analyses., Conclusion: High oat content may be efficiently processed by optimizing the extruder conditions (temperature, screw speed, and profile), improving the nutritional properties of the final product. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The objective of this 6-week clinical study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a natural ingredient-based moisturizing cream versus a colloidal oatmeal moisturizing cream in improving the hydration, barrier function, appearance, and feel of dry leg skin. Thirty-two subjects completed the study. After a 5-day washout, subjects used the natural ingredient-based moisturizing cream and oatmeal-containing cream on randomly-assigned legs twice a day for a period of three weeks. For the following two weeks subjects did not use any moisturizer on their legs. Skin moisture measurements showed a statistically significant increase in hydration for both products at all time points during the treatment phase of the study. Both products reduced transepidermal water loss measurements during the treatment phase of the study, showing their abilities to improve stratum corneum barrier function. Clinical evaluations showed that both products significantly decreased visual dryness and tactile roughness during the treatment phase. Improvements in the assessed clinical parameters persisted even after treatment cessation. In conclusion, the natural ingredient-based moisturizing cream was highly effective in providing moisturization and improving the skin barrier of subjects with very dry leg skin. It also produced significant improvements in visual dryness and tactile roughness that persisted during regression. Overall, these results show that the natural ingredient-based moisturizing cream delivers comparable benefits to that of a colloidal oatmeal-containing benchmark product and is an option for health care providers and consumers who seek relief from dry skin and prefer a product with all-natural ingredients. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(7):758-764.

Beta-glucans are widely used in treatment, cosmetics, and the food industry. Glucans play a significant role in activation of the immune and antioxidant system and inhibiting tumor proliferation. In the current study the antitumor activities of new high and low molecular weight beta-glucan derived from oats were investigated in two human lung cancer cell line (A549, H69AR) and normal keratinocytes (HaCaT). The effect of high and low molecular weight beta-glucan from oat was evaluated by cellular viability assessment, lipid peroxidation and manganese superoxide dismutase evaluation and cytoskeleton visualisation. Additionally the level of red blood cells hemolysis was performed. Our results indicate strong anti-tumor properties of new beta-glucan from oat and at the same time no toxicity for normal cells.

Avenanthramides are phenolic compounds found only in oats, and are of interest due to suggested bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory effects and induction of apoptosis. The objective of this work was to optimise a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for analysis of avenanthramides in food, and analyse the avenanthramide content in 45 oat fractions and products. The optimised HPLC method was based on triplicate extraction of 100 mg sample with 1 ml 80% ethanol in phosphate buffer (pH 2.8) and used gallacetophenone as an internal standard. Avenalumic acid-derived avenanthramide homologues 2f d and 2p d were also present, making up to 20% of the total avenanthramides detected in oats. The amounts of avenanthramides detected in oat products was 2-82 µg/g. It was estimated that mean avenanthramide intake among oat consumers ranges from 0.3 to 2.1 mg/day, considerably lower than the amount used in studies that have investigated biological effects of avenanthramides in humans., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)