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Structure and Pasting Properties of Oat Starch

¹School of Science and Technology, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 588 Wagga Wagga 2678, Australia. ²Corresponding author. E-mail: krobards@csu.edu.au Phone: 02 69332547. Fax: 02 69332737. ³NSW Agriculture, Agricultural Research Institute, Wagga Wagga, Australia.

Following a period of declining food use, oats are now increasing in importance because of perceived nutritional benefits. The pasting properties of oat starch were regarded as similar to those of other cereal starches until the development of instruments with a more rapid mixing system than the amylograph showed characteristic differences in oats. These differences in pasting properties offer opportunities for novel products in both food and industrial areas. The structure, composition, and pasting properties of oat starch are reviewed, with particular emphasis on methods of measurement. Future directions of research in this area are suggested.