Abstract: A method is described for treating bran to improve sensory attributes in food products made with the treated bran. The method includes acidifying a bran to a pH of less than 5 for a period of time sufficient to achieve an increase in soluble protein, then increasing the pH to at least 5.5. Also described are compositions including a treated bran, and methods of using a treated bran to increase bran content in foods or to improve organoleptic qualities in foods containing bran.

Abstract: The invention relates to shelf-stable cereal pieces which contain alphalinolenic acid, and to food compositions that comprise such cereal pieces.

Abstract: Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of ?-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated ?-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is fractionated into a coarse and fine oat bran sub-streams. The oat bran sub-streams are each is subjected to second roller milling step and then bolted. The second bolting of oat bran is then subjected to a third round of milling and classification to form a high ?-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low ?-glucan content (3%) oat flour.

Abstract: Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of ?-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated ?-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is subjected to second and third rounds of milling and classification to form a high ?-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low ?-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The methods are low cost and commercially practical. Preferably, the high ?-glucan content oat bran and oat flour fractions can have a syringic acid to ferulic acid ratio of at least 2.