ABSTRACT
Oats are an important source of energy and nutrients. Relative to other cereals, they are low in starch, and high in fibers, proteins, and unsaturated fatty acids. Oat processing is intended to produce regular flour and nutritious products such as oatmeal (regular, quick cooking, and instant oats), and ready-to-eat cereals. Processing also produces fractions high in glucans that are used to formulate products to reduce the risks of developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes, or as fat replacers in bakery products. In addition, fermented oats are used to make nondairy drinks. The benefits of oats are also attributed to unique groups of phytochemicals known as avenantramides and peptides derived from hydrolysis of their proteins that possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or antihypertensive functions. This chapter covers the processing of oats, their use in products’ development, nutritive and biological functions of oat products, and purified compounds.
