Abstract: The invention relates to a closed continuous process to sterilise flour to reduce the enzymatic activity within the flour as well as to reduce microbial contamination of the flour and thereby minimise pasting of the starch and maintaining the flour in its native form. The invention also relates to the flour obtained by the method as well as the use of the flour.

Abstract: The invention relates to a closed continuous process to sterilise flour to reduce the enzymatic activity within the flour as well as to reduce microbial contamination of the flour and thereby minimise pasting of the starch and maintaining the flour in its native form.

Abstract: A homogeneous and stable cereal suspension having the taste and aroma of natural oats, as well as a method for the preparation thereof, is described. The cereal suspension contains intact .beta.-glucans from the starting material and is prepared byA) dry- or wet-grinding rolled oats or otherwise heat- and water-treated oats to meal,B) suspending the oatmeal in water, if the meal has been produced by dry grinding,C) optionally centrifuging or decanting the suspension in order to remove coarse fibre particles,D) treating the suspension with .beta.-amylase, which specifically gene-rates maltose units and has no glucanase and proteinase effect, to a viscosity of 3-0.1 Pas in the shear rate range of 10-100 s.sup.-1,E) treating the suspension with .alpha.-amylase, which specifically gene-rates maltose units and has no glucanase and proteinase effect, to a viscosity of <0.5 Pas in the shear rate range of 10-100 s.sup.