Beta-glucan-rich cereal plant-based beverage

Abstract

The invention relates to a cereal plant-based beverage comprising an amount of beta-glucan of at least 1.2 g / 100 ml of plant-based beverage. The invention further relates to a method for preparing such a plant-based beverage.

Description

[0001] Cereal plant drink rich in beta-glucan

[0002] Field of invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a cereal-based plant-based beverage rich in beta-glucan, as well as methods for preparing such a plant-based beverage.

[0004] Technical background

[0005] The consumption of plant-based drinks is ancient and is practiced all over the world. They are mentioned in recipe books from the tenth century onwards.

[0006] There are many plant-based beverages available today. Plant-based beverages can be made from oilseeds such as almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, and pistachios; from cereals such as oats, rice, spelt, barley, and millet; from legumes such as soybeans, lupins, and peas; from coconuts; or from other seeds such as chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, quinoa seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds.

[0007] In addition to taste considerations, plant-based drinks are consumed for various reasons, for example due to the adoption of a vegetarian or vegan diet or due to an allergy or intolerance to a component of animal milk (in particular, allergy to milk proteins, or lactose intolerance).

[0008] Generally speaking, plant-based drinks are easier to digest than animal milks, as they are lower in fat and casein-free. Plant-based drinks are also used in the production of many food preparations, such as ice cream and cheese.

[0009] Among all these plant-based drinks, the use of grains such as oats or barley can lead to health benefits. These two grains contain a significant amount of beta-glucan, which could be the origin of new plant-based drinks.

[0010] Beta-glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides found in a variety of organisms, including plants (such as oats and barley), mushrooms (such as shiitake and reishi), and some algae and bacteria. They are molecules composed of glucose linked together by [3-glycosidic bonds.

[0011] Beta-glucans are known for their beneficial biological and functional properties. They are often considered soluble dietary fibers and have been studied for their potential immunomodulatory, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, and antitumor benefits. Beta-glucans are therefore used as functional ingredients in dietary supplements, health foods, and cosmetic products.

[0012] Oats and barley, as well as by-products from these grains and from malting, brewing, and plant-based dairies, are known to contain high levels of beta-glucan. Among the major cereals (wheat, rye, oats, and barley), oats and barley contain the highest amounts of beta-glucans. Oat and barley grains are made up of four main components:

[0013] - The glumes or beards (also called pellicles in this text): this is the fibrous bark that surrounds the whole grain. The operation of removing this part is called "trimming" or "dehulling". The grain freed from these glumes is called groats.

[0014] - The bran: this is the protective envelope (outer layer) of the seed. This part is very rich in fiber and beta-glucan

[0015] - The almond: this is the heart of the seed without its protective covering. The process of removing the covering from the grain is called hulling. The ground almond is known as flour.

[0016] - The endosperm: this is the main part of the almond. It contains carbohydrates in the form of starch and proteins.

[0017] - The germ: this is the smallest part of the almond. It contains most of the grain's fat.

[0018] Oat beta-glucans are found in the endosperm and its hull. Therefore, the whole grain must be hulled and fractionated to produce commercial bran enriched with beta-glucans. Using technology and certain processing conditions, natural oat bran with a high content of dietary fiber (such as up to 44%) and beta-glucans (up to 22%) can be obtained. In hulless barley, beta-glucans are more evenly distributed throughout the grain; therefore, even refined products, such as barley flour, contain beta-glucans.

[0019] Products and co-products from the use of oats and barley, particularly in malting, brewing, distilling, plant-based dairying and milling, are also rich in beta-glucans.

[0020] Diets that include soluble fiber from certain foods and are low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Recent studies have identified beta-glucan as the physiologically active component responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect observed with oat consumption. The health claim that regular consumption of beta-glucan can reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

[0021] Beta-glucans are linear, unbranched, non-starch polysaccharides composed of glucose molecules linked by [3(1 — >4) and [3(1 — >3] bonds, and thus exhibit physical properties of water solubility and gelation. The ability of beta-glucans to form highly viscous solutions at relatively low concentrations in the human intestine is thought to represent a fundamental element of the health benefits of these substances.The cholesterol-lowering effect of soluble beta-glucan fiber is thought to be attributable to several mechanisms of action: increased excretion of bile acids and cholesterol, reduced insulin secretion (resulting in reduced cholesterol synthesis), production of short-chain fatty acids (which may inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis), reduced fat absorption rates, and inhibition of pancreatic lipase or reduced gastric lipase activity.

[0022] Beta-glucans in cereals have also been shown to reduce glycemic response, which could help improve metabolic regulation in diabetics.

[0023] The use of various fractionation technologies to recover beta-glucans from cereal grains, particularly oats and barley, as well as from products and co-products derived from the use of these two cereals, is unfortunately almost impossible due to the high fat content of the grains and the products derived from their use. Thus, the average lipid content in oat groats varies between 4 and 8% of the dry matter weight, causing sticking to the walls of the mill when grinding the grain or groats directly.

[0024] In order to fractionate oat or barley grain or the products and co-products derived from their use, a preliminary deoiling step is necessary. The historical process is hexane extraction. For example, the article by Wu et al., "Enriched Protein- and -Glucan Fractions from High-Protein Oats by Air Classification", Cereal Chemistry, 1995, vol. 72, no. 1, pp. 132-134, describes a process for obtaining protein- and beta-glucan-enriched fractions from oats, in which the oats are first dehulled in a pin mill, the recovered groats are then defatted using hexane, and the defatted groats are then ground and subjected to air separation.

[0025] However, the use of this solvent has several major drawbacks. First, it is produced from petroleum, resulting in high greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., 620 kg CCheq / t). In addition, its degree of toxicity is high, and after extraction, hexane residues are still present in the grain subjected to treatment.

[0026] More recently, hexane has been replaced by supercritical CO2 as an extraction solvent. The main advantage of using this solvent is that it does not leave toxic residues in the powder, but this new technology remains very energy-intensive and expensive, and requires significant investment.

[0027] For example, WO 2008 / 096044 describes a process for producing beta-glucan, protein, starch and lipid concentrates from oats, comprising a step of extracting the oats using a supercritical fluid, a step of dry milling the delipidated fraction, a step of separating the fraction obtained into a starch-enriched fraction and a beta-glucan-enriched fraction and a step of separating by sieving or by aeraulic separation the starch-enriched fraction to obtain 3 fractions: a fraction comprising a protein concentrate, one comprising a beta-glucan concentrate and a fraction comprising a starch concentrate.

[0028] The article by Sibakov et al., "Lipid Removal Enhances Separation Of Oat Grain Cell Wall Material From Starch And Protein", Journal of Cereal Science, 2011, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 104-109, describes a process comprising milling of oat groats, extraction of lipids using supercritical CO2, followed by milling and then a first step of aeraulic separation of the defatted oats. The resulting larger particle fraction is subjected to milling and a second step of aeraulic separation to obtain a fraction enriched in beta-glucans. The finer particle fraction obtained from the first step of aeraulic separation is also subjected to another step of aeraulic separation to obtain a fraction enriched in protein and a fraction enriched in starch.

[0029] Additionally, current cereal beta-glucan extraction processes can lead to certain negative effects that can alter their properties and functionality. For example, they can alter their native structure, which can reduce their ability to form a viscous gel in the intestinal tract. This loss of structure can lead to a decrease in their beneficial effects, such as cholesterol reduction and blood sugar regulation.

[0030] There is therefore a real need to provide plant-based drinks that can help reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease in consumers and that can be produced in a more environmentally friendly manner and with limited or no denaturation of components.

[0031] Summary of the invention

[0032] The invention firstly relates to a cereal vegetable drink comprising an amount of beta-glucan of at least 1.2 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink.

[0033] In embodiments, the plant-based beverage is an oat or barley plant-based beverage, preferably an oat plant-based beverage.

[0034] In embodiments, the plant-based beverage comprises an amount of beta-glucan of at least 1.5 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage, preferably 1.5 to 5 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage.

[0035] In embodiments, the plant-based beverage comprises a protein amount of at least 0.2 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage, preferably 0.4 to 1.2 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage, more preferably 0.5 to 1 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage.

[0036] In embodiments, the plant-based beverage comprises a carbohydrate amount of at least 2 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage, preferably 4 to 10 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage, more preferably 6 to 9 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage. In embodiments, the plant-based beverage comprises a lipid amount of less than or equal to 2.5 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage, preferably less than or equal to 2 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage, more preferably 1 to 2 g / 100 mL of plant-based beverage.

[0037] In embodiments, the plant-based beverage has a dextrose equivalent of less than 20.

[0038] In embodiments, the plant-based beverage comprises a dry matter content of 8 to 30% by weight, preferably 8 to 15% by weight, relative to the total weight of the plant-based beverage.

[0039] The invention also relates to a method for preparing a vegetable drink as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0040] - the supply of a pulverulent cereal fraction comprising starch and comprising a quantity of beta-glucan greater than or equal to 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the fraction;

[0041] - mixing said fraction with water, so as to obtain a suspension; and

[0042] - hydrolysis of starch in the suspension.

[0043] In embodiments, the hydrolysis of starch is carried out by introducing into the suspension at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of saccharidases, preferably an α-amylase.

[0044] In embodiments, the method further comprises, after the starch hydrolysis step, a solid / liquid separation step, preferably by centrifugation, decantation, pressing using a filter press and / or filtration.

[0045] In embodiments, the method further comprises a step of preparing the provided powdered cereal fraction, said preparation comprising the following steps:

[0046] - providing at least one cereal material comprising starch, proteins, lipids and beta-glucans, preferably an oat and / or barley cereal material;

[0047] - the treatment of cereal material by solid / liquid extraction with an alcohol solution comprising at least 50% by volume of alcohol, so as to obtain a solid fraction depleted in lipids and a liquid fraction enriched in lipids;

[0048] - grinding the lipid-depleted solid fraction; - separating the particles of the ground lipid-depleted fraction according to their size, so as to obtain a fraction enriched in beta-glucans and a fraction depleted in beta-glucans; and

[0049] - recovery of the fraction enriched in beta-glucans as a powdered cereal fraction.

[0050] In embodiments, the cereal material is at least one cereal grain and / or at least one product from the malting, malt extract manufacturing, brewing, cereal distillation, plant-based dairy and / or milling industries.

[0051] The present invention makes it possible to meet the need expressed above. More particularly, it provides a plant-based drink having good organoleptic properties and a nutritional composition beneficial to the health of its consumer, and in particular capable of having a hypocholesterolemic effect, reducing the risks of coronary heart disease and / or reducing the glycemic response. The plant-based drink according to the invention can also be produced using a simple and economical process, leading to low denaturation of the components of interest in the plant-based drink, and which is environmentally friendly.

[0052] This is achieved through the presence of a certain minimal amount of beta-glucan in the plant-based drink.

[0053] This quantity of beta-glucan in the vegetable drink can in particular be achieved by implementing a preparation process using a cereal-based material as raw material and including, in advantageous embodiments, a specific separation process for a cereal material allowing the fractionation of components of interest, including beta-glucans.

[0054] The preparation process according to the invention advantageously comprises an improved separation process allowing the isolation of a beta-glucan-rich fraction, which is simple, efficient, more economical, which leads to low denaturation (transformation) of the fractionated components, in particular beta-glucans, which is environmentally friendly, i.e. with lower water consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and generating minimal effluents that are easy to recycle. This is achieved through the combination of an extraction deoiling step using a specific solvent, namely an alcohol solution comprising at least 50% by volume of alcohol, and a dry fractionation process using one or more grinding and separation steps.In particularly advantageous embodiments, in which the alcohol, and in particular ethanol, used for deoiling is recycled to be reused in the extraction step, the method according to the invention makes it possible to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus the consumption of solvents and the generation of effluents.

[0055] Brief description of the figures

[0056] Figure 1 represents a flowchart of an example of a separation process that can be implemented in embodiments of the preparation process according to the invention.

[0057] Detailed description

[0058] The invention is now described in more detail and in a non-limiting manner in the following description.

[0059] Unless otherwise stated, all percentages are by mass.

[0060] In this text, the quantities indicated for a given species may apply to this species according to all its definitions (as mentioned in this text), including the more restricted definitions.

[0061] In this text, by "fraction enriched in a substance X" obtained after a certain treatment, we mean a fraction in which the ratio of the mass proportions of substance X / total dry matter is higher than that of the fraction before treatment.

[0062] In this text, the terms “lipids”, “oil” and “fat” have the same meaning and are used interchangeably. The terms “plant-based drink” and “plant-based milk” also have the same meaning.

[0063] For the purposes of the invention, the term "hydrolysis step" means hydrolysis to any degree of hydrolysis.

[0064] Vegetable drink

[0065] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a cereal-based vegetable drink.

[0066] Cereals are members of the Poaceae family. They produce grains, which include starch, protein, lipids, and soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucans. Generally, cereal grains include at least one kernel surrounded by a hull. However, in this text, the term "grain" can generally refer to the total (whole) grain as well as any part of the grain (e.g., the kernel without its glumes, or the kernel, etc.), unless otherwise specified.

[0067] In the present invention, the cereal from which the plant-based drink is derived may be any suitable cereal. Examples of cereals include oats, barley, rice, spelt, millet, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the cereal is selected from the group consisting of oats, barley, and mixtures thereof. Even more preferably, the plant-based drink according to the invention is oat-based.

[0068] The plant-based drink comprises beta-glucans, in an amount of at least 1.2 g per 100 mL of plant-based drink. Preferably, the plant-based drink comprises at least 1.3, more preferably at least 1.4, more preferably at least 1.5, even more preferably at least 1.6, even more preferably at least 1.7, even more preferably at least 1.8, g (grams) of beta-glucan / 100 mL of plant-based drink.

[0069] The plant-based drink may advantageously comprise from 1.2 to 5, preferably from 1.5 to 5, more preferably from 1.5 to 3, g of beta-glucan / 100 mL of plant-based drink. In embodiments, the plant-based drink according to the invention comprises from 1.2 to 1.5, or from 1.5 to 1.7, from 1.7 to 2, or from 2 to 2.3, or from 2.3 to 2.5, or from 2.5 to 2.7, or from 2.7 to 3, or from 3 to 3.5, or from 3.5 to 4, or from 4 to 4.5, or from 4.5 to 5, g of beta-glucan / 100 mL of plant-based drink.

[0070] The amount of beta-glucan can be measured according to AOAC method 995.16.

[0071] Advantageously, the vegetable drink comprises proteins. More preferably, the amount of protein in the vegetable drink is at least 0.2 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, more preferably at least 0.4, more preferably at least 0.5, even more preferably is at least 0.6 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink. The vegetable drink may more particularly comprise from 0.2 to 2, preferably from 0.3 to 2, more preferably from 0.4 to 1.2, more preferably from 0.5 to 1.0 g of protein / 100 mL of vegetable drink. For example, the plant-based drink according to the invention may comprise from 0.2 to 0.4, or from 0.4 to 0.5, or from 0.5 to 0.6, or from 0.6 to 0.7, or from 0.7 to 0.8, or from 0.8 to 1, or from 1 to 1.2, or from 1.2 to 1.5, or from 1.5 to 1.7, or from 1.7 to 2, g of protein / 100 mL of plant-based drink.

[0072] The amount of protein can be measured according to ISO 5983-2 (Kjeldahl method). Preferably, the plant-based drink comprises carbohydrates. The amount of carbohydrates in the plant-based drink, in g / 100 mL of plant-based drink, may be greater than or equal to 2, preferably greater than or equal to 4, in particular greater than or equal to 6. Advantageously, the amount of carbohydrates in the plant-based drink is from 2 to 12, preferably from 4 to 10, more preferably from 6 to 9, g / 100 mL of plant-based drink. In particular, the plant-based drink may comprise from 2 to 4, or from 4 to 6, or from 6 to 8, or from 8 to 10, or from 10 to 12, g / 100 mL of plant-based drink.

[0073] The total amount of carbohydrates can be calculated by subtracting the protein, fiber, fat, ash and water content from the product weight. The protein content can be measured as above, the fat content can be measured as below, the ash content can be measured according to NF EN ISO 2171. The water content can be obtained by calculating the difference between the initial total weight and the dry extract measured according to the ISO 6731 method and the amount of fiber can be measured according to the AOAC 2011 .25 method.

[0074] The dextrose equivalent (DE) value of the vegetable drink according to the invention is preferably less than 20. Advantageously, the dextrose equivalent of the vegetable drink is from 10 to less than 20, preferably from 12 to less than 20, for example from 15 to less than 20. The vegetable drink may have a dextrose equivalent of 10 to 12, or from 12 to 15, or from 15 to 17, or from 17 to less than 20. The DE is an indicator of starch hydrolysis. At DE = 0, the starch is intact. At DE = 100, the starch is completely transformed into glucose. To measure the DE, the Lane-Eynon method (ISO 5377:1981) can be used.

[0075] The plant-based drink may comprise lipids. Preferably, the plant-based drink according to the invention comprises a quantity of lipid less than or equal to 2.5, more preferably less than or equal to 2.0 g / 100 mL of plant-based drink. In embodiments, the plant-based drink comprises from 0.8 to 2.5, preferably from 1 to 2, for example from 1.2 to 1.8 g of lipid / 100 mL of plant-based drink. In particular, the plant-based drink may comprise from 0.8 to 1, or from 1 to 1.2, or from 1.2 to 1.4, or from 1.4 to 1.6, or from 1.6 to 1.8, or from 1.8 to 2, or from 2 to 2.2, or from 2.2 to 2.5 g of lipids / 100 mL of plant-based drink.

[0076] The amount of fat can be measured according to the AOAC 922.06 method.

[0077] Advantageously, the vegetable drink according to the invention comprises a dry matter content of 8 to 30% by weight, preferably 8 to 20% by weight, more preferably 8 to 15% by weight. More particularly, the dry matter content of the vegetable drink according to the invention may be 8 to 10% by weight, or 10 to 12% by weight, or 12 to 15% by weight, or 15 to 17% by weight, or 17 to 20% by weight, or 20 to 22% by weight, or 22 to 25% by weight, or 25 to 30% by weight.

[0078] Preferably, the vegetable drink comprises a quantity of beta-glucan greater than or equal to 15% by weight, preferably a quantity of 15 to 40% by weight, more preferably 15 to 30% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink; in particular the vegetable drink may comprise a quantity of beta-glucan of 15 to 18% by weight, or 18 to 20% by weight, or 20 to 25% by weight, or 25 to 30% by weight, or 30 to 35% by weight, or 35 to 40% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink.

[0079] Preferably, the vegetable drink comprises a quantity of proteins greater than or equal to 2% by weight, preferably a quantity of 2 to 4% by weight, more preferably 2.5 to 4% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink; in particular the vegetable drink may comprise a quantity of proteins of 2 to 2.5% by weight, or 2.5 to 2.7% by weight, or 2.7 to 3% by weight, or 3 to 3.3% by weight, or 3.3 to 3.5% by weight, or 3.5 to 4.0% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink.

[0080] Preferably, the vegetable drink comprises a quantity of carbohydrates greater than or equal to 15% by weight, preferably a quantity of 15 to 40% by weight, more preferably 15 to 35% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink; in particular the vegetable drink may comprise a quantity of carbohydrates of 15 to 20% by weight, or 20 to 25% by weight, or 25 to 30% by weight, or 30 to 35% by weight, or 35 to 40% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink.

[0081] Preferably, the vegetable drink comprises a quantity of fat (lipids) less than or equal to 20% by weight, preferably a quantity of 5 to 20% by weight, more preferably 5 to 15% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink; in particular the vegetable drink may comprise a quantity of fat of 5 to 10% by weight, or 10 to 12% by weight, or 12 to 15% by weight, or 15 to 18% by weight, or 18 to 20% by weight, relative to the total weight of dry matter of the vegetable drink. Preparation method

[0082] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method of preparing a vegetable drink as described above.

[0083] The method according to the invention comprises a step of providing a pulverulent cereal fraction (i.e., in powder form). For the purposes of the present invention, the term "cereal fraction" means any material originating from one (or more) cereals. The cereal fraction may originate entirely from cereals or may also comprise components of other origin(s).

[0084] The pulverulent cereal fraction preferably has particles having a volume median diameter (D50) greater than or equal to 100 pm, more preferably from 100 to 500 pm, more preferably from 100 to 300 pm, more preferably from 100 to 250 pm. The D50 of the particles can be measured according to standard NF ISO 13320-1.

[0085] The cereal fraction of the invention comprises at least 10% by weight of beta-glucan, relative to the total weight of the fraction. Preferably, the cereal fraction comprises an amount of 10 to 40% by weight, preferably 12 to 25% by weight, more preferably 15 to 25% by weight, of beta-glucan, relative to the total weight of the fraction; in particular the cereal fraction may comprise an amount of beta-glucan of 10 to 12% by weight, or 12 to 13% by weight, or 13 to 15% by weight, or 15 to 17% by weight, or 17 to 20% by weight, or 20 to 22% by weight, or 22 to 25% by weight, or 25 to 30% by weight, or 30 to 35% by weight, or 35 to 40% by weight, relative to the total weight of the fraction.

[0086] The cereal fraction used in the invention further comprises starch.

[0087] Preferably, the cereal fraction comprises an amount of starch greater than or equal to 35% by weight (for example from 35 to 90% by weight), preferably greater than or equal to 40% by weight, more preferably an amount of 40 to 90% by weight, more preferably from 40 to 80% by weight, more preferably from 45 to 70% by weight (relative to the total weight of the cereal fraction). In particular, the amount of starch in the cereal fraction may be from 40 to 50% by weight, or from 50 to 60% by weight, or from 60 to 65% by weight, or from 65 to 70% by weight, or from 70 to 75% by weight, or from 75 to 80% by weight, or from 80 to 90% by weight, relative to the total weight of the cereal fraction. The amount of starch can be measured according to ISO 15914.Preferably, the cereal fraction comprises a quantity of carbohydrates greater than or equal to 40% by weight, preferably a quantity of carbohydrates of 40 to 90% by weight, preferably of 40 to 85% by weight, more preferably of 40 to 80% by weight, more preferably of 42 to 75% by weight (relative to the total weight of the cereal fraction). In particular, the amount of carbohydrates in the cereal fraction may be 40 to 42% by weight, or 42 to 45% by weight, or 45 to 47% by weight, or 47 to 50% by weight, or 50 to 55% by weight, or 55 to 60% by weight, or 60 to 65% by weight, or 65 to 70% by weight, or 70 to 75% by weight, or 75 to 80% by weight, or 80 to 90% by weight, relative to the total weight of the cereal fraction.

[0088] Preferably, the cereal fraction further comprises proteins, advantageously in an amount less than or equal to 30% by weight, preferably an amount of 0.5 to 30% by weight, more preferably 3 to 20% by weight, more preferably 5 to 17% by weight, more preferably 5 to 15% by weight (relative to the total weight of the fraction). In embodiments, the amount of protein in the grain fraction may be, relative to the total weight of the grain fraction, 0.5 to 3 wt%, or 3 to 5 wt%, or 5 to 7 wt%, or 7 to 10 wt%, or 10 to 12 wt%, or 12 to 15 wt%, or 15 to 18 wt%, or 18 to 20 wt%, or 20 to 30 wt%, relative to the total weight of the grain fraction.

[0089] Preferably, the cereal fraction further comprises lipids. Preferably, it comprises an amount of fat (lipids) less than or equal to 5% by weight, preferably an amount of 0.5 to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 3% by weight, more preferably 1 to 3% by weight, relative to the total weight of the fraction; in particular the cereal fraction may comprise an amount of fat of 0.5 to 1% by weight, or 1 to 2% by weight, or 2 to 3% by weight, or 3 to 4% by weight, or 4 to 5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the fraction.

[0090] The amounts of beta-glucan, carbohydrate, protein and fat can be determined as above.

[0091] The cereal fraction is then mixed with water to form a suspension. Preferably, the water is mineralized water. Even more preferably, the water used contains at least 40 mg of calcium per liter of water.

[0092] Advantageously, the amount of cereal fraction mixed with water is from 8 to 30% by weight, preferably from 8 to 20% by weight, more preferably from 8 to 15% by weight, relative to the total weight of the mixture. The amount of cereal fraction mixed with water may be from 8 to 10% by weight, or from 10 to 12% by weight, or from 12 to 15% by weight, or from 15 to 17% by weight, or from 17 to 20% by weight, or from 20 to 22% by weight, or from 22 to 25% by weight, or from 25 to 30% by weight, relative to the total weight of the mixture.

[0093] The process according to the invention comprises a step of hydrolysis of the starch in the suspension obtained by mixing the cereal fraction with water.

[0094] Preferably, the hydrolysis of the starch is carried out by introducing at least one enzyme into the suspension. The enzyme is preferably a saccharidase, and more particularly an α-amylase. Very preferably, the enzyme is thermostable, in particular at temperatures of 70 to 110°C.

[0095] The amount of enzyme added is preferably 0.2 to 1 g of enzyme per 100 g of starch dry matter, preferably 0.3 to 0.6 g of enzyme per 100 g of starch dry matter. The pH of the suspension is preferably adjusted to a pH between 4.5 and 7.5, more particularly between 5.0 and 6.5. This pH range allows for optimal efficiency of the enzyme. α-amylases are enzymes capable of hydrolyzing starch into dextrins. Advantageously, the suspension is heated to a temperature of 70 to 110°C, more preferably 80 to 100°C, preferably this temperature is reached after addition of the enzyme. Preferably, the suspension is preheated, more preferably to a temperature of 30 to 60°C, more preferably 40 to 55°C, prior to the addition of the enzyme to the suspension. Preferably, the heating of the suspension is carried out by steam contact and / or by direct steam injection.Advantageously, the hydrolysis is carried out in a reactor, with stirring. Preferably, the incubation time of the enzyme in the suspension is 3 to 15 min, more preferably 3 to 7 min. Advantageously, the suspension is then cooled, preferably to a temperature of 50 to 60°C.

[0096] Preferably, the method according to the invention comprises a solid / liquid separation step. This step makes it possible to reduce, or even eliminate, the insoluble materials present in the suspension. The solid / liquid separation results in obtaining a liquid fraction, separated from a solid fraction. At the end of this separation step, the liquid fraction (or at least part of the liquid fraction) is recovered. This liquid fraction is depleted in insoluble materials, that is to say that the mass concentration of insoluble material is lower than that before carrying out the separation step.

[0097] More preferably, the solid / liquid separation is carried out by centrifugation. At the end of this step, at least a portion of the supernatant is collected (the supernatant corresponding to the liquid fraction and the pellet corresponding to the solid fraction). Preferably, the centrifugation is carried out by applying an acceleration of 29420 m.s' 2 (3000g) at 49033 ms-

[0098] 2 (5000 g), for example 39227 ms -2 (4000 g), preferably for a period of 5 to 15 min, for example 10 min.

[0099] Alternatively, or additionally, solid / liquid separation may be carried out by decantation, by pressing using a filter press and / or by filtration, preferably using one or more membranes.

[0100] At the end of the liquid / solid separation step, the recovered liquid fraction preferably comprises a quantity of insoluble matter, as measured in particular according to standard NF EN 872, less than or equal to 0.5% by weight, more preferably less than or equal to 0.2% by weight, more preferably less than or equal to 0.1% by weight, relative to the total weight of recovered liquid fraction.

[0101] Advantageously, an oil is added to the liquid fraction. This oil can be any edible oil. It is preferably a natural oil, more preferably a non-GMO oil, more preferably a vegetable oil. The oil can in particular be any edible vegetable oil (or any mixture of such oils), such as for example a sunflower oil, a rapeseed oil and / or an olive oil, and is more particularly sunflower oil. The addition of this oil to the liquid fraction makes it possible to give a milky appearance to the preparation. Preferably, the oil is added to the liquid fraction in an amount of 0.3 to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 5% by weight, more preferably 1 to 10% by weight.

[0102] 3% by weight, relative to the total weight of the mixture (for example in an amount of 0.3 to 1% by weight, or 1 to 2% by weight, or 2 to 3% by weight, or 3 to 4% by weight, or 4 to 5% by weight, or 5 to 6% by weight, or 6 to 8% by weight, or 8 to 10% by weight). Preferably, the mixture is stirred, for example for a period of 1 to 15 min, in particular 3 to 10 min, more particularly 5 min. This mixing can be carried out using any suitable device, for example a disperser.

[0103] The method according to the invention preferably comprises a homogenization step. This step makes it possible to give the vegetable drink the appearance of a milk drink. This step can be carried out using any suitable device known to those skilled in the art, for example a homogenizer, such as a high-pressure homogenizer.

[0104] The method according to the invention advantageously comprises a step of pasteurization or heat treatment of the beverage obtained. Preferably, the pasteurization is carried out by heating to a temperature of 100 to 160°C, preferably 120 to 150°C, for example for a period of 1 to 5 s. Preheating, in particular to a temperature of 70 to 120°C, preferably 90 to 110°C, may be carried out. The beverage is then advantageously cooled, preferably to room temperature (between 15 and 30°C, preferably between 17 and 23°C).

[0105] The powdered cereal fraction used to produce the vegetable drink can be prepared according to the separation process described below.

[0106] Separation process

[0107] This method is a method for separating a cereal material, in particular to obtain a lipid-enriched fraction, a beta-glucan-enriched fraction, which can be used as a powdered cereal fraction as described above, and a starch-enriched and, advantageously, protein-enriched fraction. In the context of the present invention, "cereal material" means any material based on, or derived from, at least one cereal, in any possible form (e.g., whole, ground, powdered, flattened, etc.). More particularly, it may be the cereal itself (raw), any part thereof, or any material obtained after treatment, processing or use of the cereal.

[0108] This separation process involves a step of deoiling the cereal material by extraction using an alcohol solution comprising at least 50% alcohol by volume followed by dry fractionation of the cereal material. By "dry process" is meant any operation, such as grinding or air separation operations, which is carried out without the use of water.

[0109] Within the scope of the present invention, the starting cereal material may be, or originate from, any suitable cereal. The starting cereal is in particular as described above. Particularly preferably, this cereal is selected from the group consisting of oats, barley and mixtures thereof, more preferably the cereal is oats. In the present invention, any suitable cereal material may be used, including beta-glucans, starch, lipids, and preferably proteins.

[0110] Thus, advantageously, the starting cereal material used in the invention may be a cereal grain (in particular an oat and / or barley grain). The dehulled oat grain (i.e., the grain from which the glumes have been removed) is called groats. The dehulled barley grain is called hulled barley. In the present text, the terms "oat grain" and "barley grain" mean both the total grain and any part of the grain (for example, oat groats or hulled barley), unless otherwise indicated. Oat and barley grains have the advantage of being rich in beta-glucan (they may comprise from 3 to 7% by weight for oats and from 3 to 11% by weight for barley). Preferably, a cereal grain, in particular an oat and / or barley grain, comprising a husk and a groat, is used as the starting raw material.

[0111] Alternatively or additionally, any product resulting from the use or processing of a cereal (in particular oats or barley) may advantageously be used as the starting cereal material, in particular in fermentation and distillation processes, for the production of sprouted cereal (in particular malt), for the production of vegetable beverages or for the production of flours. More particularly, products which can be used in the process according to the invention are:

[0112] - malting and malt extract manufacturing by-products: during the barley germination process, radicles (small roots) are formed. After drying, the grains are treated to remove the radicles and the grain husk. These two products are rich in proteins and beta-glucans.

[0113] - Brewery and / or cereal distillation co-products: after the fermentation stage, the “wort” is filtered to remove all solid residues from the cereal grain. This substrate is rich in proteins and beta-glucans.

[0114] - Plant-based dairy by-products: During the production of plant-based drinks, a filtration or decantation process is carried out to remove solid residues from the cereal grain. These residues are called okara. These residues contain a high level of proteins and beta-glucans.

[0115] - Milling products. When the cereal material is a cereal grain, and more particularly an oat and / or barley grain, the method according to the invention advantageously comprises a step of removing the skin (or dehulling) from the cereal grains (in particular oats and / or barley). Indeed, the skin is mainly composed of insoluble fibers that are not very edible. In addition, the majority of contaminants in the oat or barley grain are found in the skin, its removal thus makes it possible to reduce the risks of contamination of the prepared fractions.

[0116] Preferably, the de-filming is a mechanical de-filming, carried out for example by abrasion, compression, impact, shearing or any other suitable mechanical action. More preferably, the de-filming is carried out by abrasion.

[0117] Hulling can be carried out using any suitable device, in particular using one of the mechanical forces mentioned above, in particular abrasion. Advantageously, the hulling is carried out using a de-huller. De-hullers operate according to the principle of a friction polishing machine. They can be used to remove beards, debind double grains and to treat the surface of cereal grains. In an example of a hulling process using a de-huller, a feed screw transports the cereals into the working chamber where a rotor in a perforated sleeve subjects the treated product to mechanical forces by friction. The intensity of the friction can be adjusted, for example by an adjustable counterweight, or by adjustable springs at the outlet of the machine.Loose elements that are separated from the processed product (the grain), such as burrs or impurities adhering to the surface, can exit the machine through a separate vacuum outlet.

[0118] Using a dehuller to perform hulling is advantageous because the dehuller cleans the grain surface at the same time as it detaches the skin from the grain by mechanical stress. In addition, this processing step helps improve the flow properties of the grains.

[0119] The cereal material may be subjected to a grinding and / or flattening step and a ground and / or flattened fraction is then collected. This step is in particular carried out when the starting cereal material is a cereal grain. When the method comprises a dehulling step as described above, the grinding and / or flattening step is preferably carried out after the dehulling (the cereal material subjected to this grinding and / or flattening step then being a dehulled grain). This grinding and / or flattening step may be omitted, in particular when the starting cereal material is in powdered or flattened form, for example in embodiments in which the starting cereal material is a product resulting from the use of a cereal.

[0120] Grinding can be carried out using any type of grinder, in particular by any mechanical grinder using compression, impact, shear or any other appropriate mechanical action. Preferably, the particles obtained after grinding have a volume median diameter (D50) greater than or equal to 500 μm (the D50 can be measured according to standard NF ISO 13320-1). This grinding step can be carried out regardless of the cereal material (in particular, cereal grain and / or product resulting from the use of a cereal).

[0121] Flattening may be carried out using a grain flattener, preferably using mechanical compression force. This flattening step is preferably carried out when the grain material used is a cereal grain.

[0122] The cereal material (in embodiments, the ground and / or flattened fraction obtained after grinding and / or flattening) is subjected to a solid / liquid extraction carried out using an alcohol solution. The alcohol solution according to the invention comprises at least 50% by volume of alcohol. The alcohol solution may be the alcohol itself (it then comprises 100% by volume of alcohol). However, it is preferably a mixture comprising at least one alcohol and at least one solvent. The solvent is preferably selected from the group consisting of water, 2-methyloxolane and mixtures thereof. More preferably, the alcohol solution is an aqueous alcohol solution, i.e., a solution comprising water and alcohol. Even more preferably, the aqueous ethanol solution consists of water and alcohol.

[0123] The alcohol solution preferably comprises from 50 to 90% by volume, more preferably from 60 to 90% by volume, more preferably from 70 to 90% by volume, even more preferably from 80 to 90% by volume, of alcohol (based on the total volume of the alcohol solution used to carry out the extraction). In embodiments, the alcohol solution comprises from 50 to 60%, or from 60 to 70%, or from 70 to 80%, or from 80 to 90%, by volume, of alcohol.

[0124] The alcohol is preferably selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, pentanol, isoamyl alcohol and mixtures thereof. Most preferably, the alcohol is ethanol. In other words, the alcohol solution used according to the invention is preferably an ethanol solution.

[0125] The extraction is advantageously carried out by contacting the cereal material (for example the ground and / or flattened fraction) with the alcohol solution (preferably ethanol) in a reactor, preferably with stirring. Preferably, the cereal material (for example the ground and / or flattened fraction) is contacted with the alcohol solution (preferably ethanol) in a mass ratio of 1:3 to 1:8, more preferably in a mass ratio of 1:4 to 1:7. The contacting advantageously takes place for a period of 15 to 120 min, preferably 20 to 60 min. Preferably, the cereal material particles are then separated from the alcohol solution by filtration, for example on a 10 μm mesh cloth.

[0126] Particularly advantageously, when the alcohol solution is an ethanol solution, the ethanol used in the ethanol solution is produced by fermentation from a substrate as described in patent application FR 2211884 filed on November 11, 2022 and entitled “Process for preparing a substrate for fermentation”.In particular, the fermentation substrate may be prepared by a method comprising the following steps: providing at least one legume seed comprising starch and proteins; micronizing said at least one seed, so as to obtain a micronized fraction; purifying the micronized fraction (preferably by aeraulic separation), so as to collect a starch-enriched and protein-depleted fraction; mixing the starch-enriched and protein-depleted fraction with a liquid, so as to form a starch fluid; hydrolyzing the starch by mixing steam with the starch fluid (preferably carried out using a direct steam injection device in continuous mode), so as to obtain a hydrolyzed starch fluid; and preferably introducing into the hydrolyzed starch fluid one or more glucosidase and / or saccharidase enzymes.The use of such a process to prepare the fermentation substrate for ethanol production has the advantage of having a relatively low greenhouse gas emission rate, which can be less than 400 kg of CO2. eq / t of ethanol

[0127] Preferably, the alcohol (preferably ethanol) used to prepare the alcohol solution is a recycled alcohol, i.e. it has already been previously used in a treatment process, preferably in an extraction process, more preferably in an extraction step of a process according to the invention.

[0128] The extraction step according to the invention makes it possible to extract at least a portion of the lipids from the cereal material in the alcohol solution (preferably ethanol). Thus, at the end of the extraction step, and preferably the filtration step, a liquid fraction enriched in lipids and a solid fraction depleted in lipids (also called cake) are obtained.

[0129] The cake is advantageously subjected to a drying step. Preferably, it is dried in a vacuum oven, preferably at a temperature of 30 to 50°C. Preferably, the cake is dried for a period of 2 to 10 hours.

[0130] The extraction step may be repeated one or more times on the cake, preferably after drying the cake. In other words, the process according to the invention may comprise one, two or more extraction steps using an alcohol solution (preferably ethanol).

[0131] The lipid-enriched liquid fraction (comprising the alcohol-fat mixture) is preferably subjected to a purification step in order to separate the alcohol (preferably ethanol) from the lipid-enriched fraction. More preferably, the alcohol (preferably ethanol) is separated by distillation. In particular, the lipid-enriched liquid fraction may be distilled at a temperature of 30 to 70°C, preferably in a tray column under vacuum. The oil is recovered at the bottom of the column (forming a purified lipid-enriched fraction) while the alcohol (preferably ethanol) is collected at the top of the column.

[0132] Particularly advantageously, the alcohol (preferably ethanol) recovered after separation of the lipid-enriched liquid fraction is recycled, and is more particularly reused for a new extraction cycle of the process according to the invention.

[0133] The separation process according to the invention comprises a step of grinding the lipid-depleted solid fraction (cake), preferably dried, then a step of separating the particles obtained according to their size. The purpose of these steps is to separate the beta-glucan fraction from the starch and protein fractions. For grinding, any suitable type of grinder can be used, in particular any grinder using mechanical force of abrasion, compression, impact, shear or any other mechanical action. In particular, a pendulum grinder using compression force can be used. At the end of the grinding, a mixture of fragments of the shell (essentially fibers) (also called bran in this text) and almond powder (also called flour in this text) is obtained.

[0134] The step of separating the particles obtained after grinding is preferably carried out by sieving. In particular, the particles may be separated by passing them through a sieve with a suitable mesh size for separating the bran from the flour. For example, particles with a size less than a size of between 200 and 600 mm may be separated from bran with a size greater than or equal to such a size. The bran separated during this step corresponds to a fraction enriched in beta-glucans; the flour obtained after separation corresponds to a fraction depleted in beta-glucans.

[0135] The beta-glucan-enriched fraction can then be used as a powdered cereal fraction in the process for preparing a vegetable drink described above. Preferably, the beta-glucan-enriched fraction is the powdered cereal fraction, i.e. it does not undergo any additional treatment before its use in the process for preparing the vegetable drink.

[0136] Preferably, the beta-glucan-enriched fraction obtained comprises amounts of beta-glucan, carbohydrates, protein and / or fat (as a percentage relative to the total weight of dry matter of the beta-glucan-enriched fraction) as indicated above for the powdered cereal fraction.

[0137] The fraction depleted in beta-glucans (flour) corresponds to a fraction enriched in starch and preferably in proteins.

[0138] An example of a method for separating a cereal material is shown in Figure 1. In this example, a cereal material 1, in particular oats and / or barley, preferably undergoes a first grinding 2 and a ground fraction 3 is obtained. This ground fraction 3 is subjected to an extraction treatment 4 using an alcohol solution, preferably an ethanol solution. At the end of this extraction 4, a lipid-enriched liquid fraction 5 comprising an alcohol / lipid mixture and a lipid-depleted solid fraction 6 are collected. The lipid-depleted solid fraction 6 is then subjected to a second grinding step 7. The recovered fraction 8 corresponds to a mixture of flour (ground almonds) and bran. A separation step 9 of the particles of the fraction 8, according to their size, in particular by sieving, is then carried out in order to separate the flour from the bran.Two fractions are collected: the fraction of larger particles corresponds to bran and a fraction enriched in beta-glucans 10 and the fraction of finer particles corresponds to flour and a fraction depleted in beta-glucans 11 .

[0139] Examples

[0140] The following examples illustrate the invention without limiting it.

[0141] In the examples, the following analysis and measurement methods were used:

[0142] - Measurement of protein quantity: Kjeldahl method using a FOSS titrator according to ISO 5983-2 standard;

[0143] - Measurement of the quantity of lipids: AOAC method 922.06;

[0144] - Measurement of the quantity of starch: method according to ISO 15914 standard;

[0145] - Amount of carbohydrates: determined by calculating the difference between the total weight of the product and the sum of the weights of protein, fat, total fiber, water and ash;

[0146] - Measurement of the quantity of ash: method according to standard NF EN ISO 2171;

[0147] - Measurement of the quantity of beta-glucan: AOAC method 995.16;

[0148] - Measurement of dextrose equivalent: Lane-Eynon method;

[0149] - Water content: obtained by the difference between the initial total weight of the sample and the dry extract measured according to the ISO 6731 method;

[0150] - Measurement of the quantity of total fibers: according to the AOAC 2011.25 method

[0151] Example 1: Production of a fraction enriched in beta-glucan

[0152] 25 kg of coarsely ground oat groats were introduced into a 250 litre Nutsche reactor.

[0153] The reactor is equipped with a 10 pm filter at the bottom of the tank.

[0154] The composition of the oat groats introduced into the reactor is indicated in the table below (in mass percentage).

[0155] [Table 1] 134 kg (170 liters) of dehydrated ethanol was mixed with 30 kg of water to obtain an aqueous ethanol solution with an ethanol concentration of 85% v / v. The ethanol solution was prepared at room temperature.

[0156] The ethanol solution was introduced into the reactor, the mass ratio of ethanol solution to gruel being 6.6:1. The gruel / ethanol solution mixture was kept stirring for 45 minutes at room temperature.

[0157] After this extraction time, the liquid was drained through the 10 pm filter, under constant pressure of 0.2 MPa. The cake was then dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature of 45°C until all traces of ethanol disappeared.

[0158] The ethanol solution containing the fats was distilled in a tray column configured to obtain 96% v / v ethanol at the top of the column. This alcohol can then be recycled in a new extraction.

[0159] Oat oil was recovered at the bottom of the column.

[0160] A second extraction was carried out on the dried cake under the same conditions as the first (i.e., 45 minutes of contact time under stirring with 200 liters of 85% v / v ethanol in water).

[0161] The fat extraction yield is 91% (by weight). A small amount of flour is present in the oil obtained, this flour coming from the passage of particles smaller than 10 pm through the filter of the extraction reactor.

[0162] The lipid balance of the extraction operations is shown in the table below:

[0163] Table 2]

[0164] The deoiled flour was then milled using the following process. The bran (fibrous outer shell of the oat) was separated using a Buhler MLU 202 mill in soft wheat configuration and 250 μm sieve. The bran fraction obtained from this separation is a fraction enriched in beta-glucans, the white flour fraction remaining after separation of the bran corresponds to a fraction depleted in beta-glucans.

[0165] The mass balance of the separation operation is summarized in the table below:

[0166] Table 3]

[0167] The losses are due to a drop in humidity and some traces of powder remaining on the walls of the powder delivery ducts.

[0168] The fiber rate balance given in the table below (as a percentage by mass relative to the total weight of dry matter (DM)) indicates a near tripling of the beta-glucan rate in the fraction enriched in beta-glucans (bran) compared to the flour obtained after extraction, for a mass yield of the bran fraction of 24.7%.

[0169] Table 4]

[0170] The fraction enriched in beta-glucans (bran fraction) has the following composition (in mass percentage): Table 5]

[0171] Example 2: Production of a plant-based drink rich in beta-glucan

[0172] 1.5 kg of oat fraction enriched with beta-glucan as prepared in Example 1 above were mixed with 13.5 liters of mineralized water to be introduced into a 20-liter capacity reactor from the company OMVE.

[0173] Starch hydrolysis was carried out by enzymatic hydrolysis. The fraction / water mixture parameters and the enzymatic hydrolysis parameters are shown in the table below:

[0174] Table 6] 15 kg of the hydrolyzed mixture was introduced into a JOUAN centrifuge according to the following parameters:

[0175] [Table 7]

[0176] 10 kg of supernatant obtained after centrifugation was recovered, and 1.5% by weight (relative to the weight of the supernatant) of sunflower oil was added to this supernatant. The mixture was then stirred for 5 minutes using an Ultraturax type stirrer. The stirred mixture was then homogenized using a PANDA Plus 2000 homogenizer to obtain a drink with the appearance of a milk drink. The parameters of the PANDA Plus 2000 homogenizer are as follows:

[0177] Table 8]

[0178] The vegetable drink thus obtained was then heat treated using an OMVE pasteurizer, then cooled in 2 stages, according to the parameters indicated below:

[0179] Table 9]

[0180] The nutritional composition of the vegetable drink obtained is given in the table below (in g / 100 ml of vegetable drink): [Table 10]

[0181] By drinking 1 glass of 200 mL of plant-based drink as prepared above each day, the consumer will have taken a daily dose of 3.2 g of beta-glucan. This threshold corresponds to the minimum dose to benefit from the medical benefits of this component.

[0182] Example 3: Production of a plant-based drink rich in beta-glucan and containing maltodextrins

[0183] 1.5 kg of oat fraction enriched with beta-glucan as prepared in Example 1 above were mixed with 13.5 liters of mineralized water to be introduced into a 20-liter capacity reactor from the company OMVE.

[0184] Starch hydrolysis was carried out by enzymatic hydrolysis. The fraction / water mixture parameters and the enzymatic hydrolysis parameters are shown in the table below:

[0185] Table 11 ]

[0186] 15 kg of the hydrolyzed mixture was introduced into a JOUAN centrifuge according to the following parameters: Table 12]

[0187] 10 kg of supernatant obtained after centrifugation were recovered, and 1.5% by weight (relative to the weight of the supernatant) of sunflower oil was added to this supernatant. The mixture was then stirred for 5 minutes using an Ultraturax type stirrer. The stirred mixture was then homogenized using a PANDA Plus 2000 homogenizer to obtain a drink having the appearance of a milk drink. The parameters of the PANDA Plus 2000 homogenizer are as follows:

[0188] Table 13]

[0189] The vegetable drink is then heat treated using an OMVE pasteurizer according to the parameters indicated below:

[0190] Table 14]

[0191] The nutritional composition of the vegetable drink obtained is given in the table below (in g / 100 ml of vegetable drink): [Table 15]

[0192] Using the BAN® 480 L enzyme to hydrolyze starch allows for moderate hydrolysis of starch with no (or almost no) production of simple sugars. The maltodextrins created during the starch hydrolysis step provide slow sugars, allowing for a moderate glycemic index. The dextrose equivalent measurement is a good indicator of starch hydrolysis. When the dextrose equivalent is less than or equal to 20 without the presence of (simple) sugars, the hydrolyzed residues are maltodextrins.

[0193] By drinking 1 glass of 200 mL of plant-based drink as prepared above each day, the consumer will have taken a daily dose of 3.2 g of beta-glucan. This threshold corresponds to the minimum dose to benefit from the medical benefits of this component.

Claims

Claims 1. Cereal plant-based drink containing a quantity of beta-glucan of at least 1.2 g / 100 mL of plant-based drink.

2. Vegetable drink according to claim 1, being an oat or barley vegetable drink, preferably an oat vegetable drink.

3. Vegetable drink according to claim 1 or 2, comprising an amount of beta-glucan of at least 1.5 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, preferably 1.5 to 5 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink.

4. Vegetable drink according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a quantity of protein of at least 0.2 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, preferably from 0.4 to 1.2 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, more preferably from 0.5 to 1 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink.

5. Vegetable drink according to one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a quantity of carbohydrates of at least 2 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, preferably 4 to 10 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, more preferably 6 to 9 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink.

6. Vegetable drink according to one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a quantity of lipid less than or equal to 2.5 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, preferably less than or equal to 2 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink, more preferably 1 to 2 g / 100 mL of vegetable drink.

7. Vegetable drink according to one of claims 1 to 6, having a dextrose equivalent of less than 20.

8. Vegetable drink according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a dry matter content of 8 to 30% by weight, preferably from 8 to 15% by weight, relative to the total weight of the vegetable drink.

9. Process for preparing a vegetable drink according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the following steps: - the supply of a pulverulent cereal fraction comprising starch and comprising a quantity of beta-glucan greater than or equal to 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the fraction; - mixing said fraction with water, so as to obtain a suspension; and - hydrolysis of starch in the suspension.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the hydrolysis of the starch is carried out by introducing into the suspension at least one enzyme chosen from the group consisting of saccharidases, preferably an α-amylase.

11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising after the step of hydrolysis of the starch, a step of solid / liquid separation, preferably by centrifugation, decantation, pressing using a filter press and / or filtration.

12. Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a step of preparing the powdered cereal fraction provided, said preparation comprising the following steps: - providing at least one cereal material (1) comprising starch, proteins, lipids and beta-glucans, preferably an oat and / or barley cereal material; - treatment of the cereal material by solid / liquid extraction (4) with an alcohol solution comprising at least 50% by volume of alcohol, so as to obtain a solid fraction depleted in lipids (6) and a liquid fraction enriched in lipids (5); - grinding (7) of the solid fraction depleted in lipids (6); - the separation (9) of the particles of the crushed lipid-depleted fraction (8) according to their size, so as to obtain a fraction enriched in beta-glucans (10) and a fraction depleted in beta-glucans (11); and - the recovery of the fraction enriched in beta-glucans (10) as a powdered cereal fraction.

13. Method according to claim 12, in which the cereal material (1) is at least one cereal grain and / or at least one product from the malting, malt extract manufacturing, brewing, cereal distillation, vegetable dairy and / or milling industries.

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