Oat with increased levels of sterols and other functional lipids

Important results from the project

Our aim was to develop oats with optimised lipid profile that would have a health effect additive to that of fibre, which would be the starting material for preparing various liquid and solid oat products. . We separerated the fibre from the lipid effect by using a purified oil extract. The effect on plasma cholesterol was positive and related to the intake of the oil, despite that we have not been able to specifically relate this to sterol content. The special oat was made oat base with good technological and organoleptic characteristics for further development of oat-dairy products.

Expected long term effects

Among 1000 lines from the oat population we identified several with ß-sitosterol content from under 30% of the value for standard oat upto 90% higher content. Total sterol amount in 10 lines was 2-10 times higher than that in the starting material. We propagated these in Sweden and N. Zealand and obtained two lines with 4 times higher content in large scale. We purified the oil, which decreased total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in a mouse study. High sterol oats proved to be advantgeous raw material for food applications, e.g. oat drink manufacture.

Approach and implementation

We developed a screening method where we could extract nonolar and weakly polar compounds from a few seeds, and identify from these oat sterols among 1000 different lines, by means of the known molecular weight of ß-sitosterol. The oil that was extracted with ethanol from the special oat was used in a model genetically modified mice that lack LDL-receptors, which get double LDL-cholesterol vadues when they are given a ´Western diet´ as compared with normal diet. High sterol oats were dehulled manually and we manufactured oat drink with superior quality regarding consistency and colour.