False Malting Oats for Avenanthramide Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for increasing avenanthramide concentrations in oats, such as malting, result in modest increases but are limited by germination, which complicates milling and processing, and do not achieve the desired physiological responses due to low concentrations in existing oat varieties.
Innovation Solution
A method involving false malting of oats in dormancy, where dormancy is induced or enhanced through anaerobic steeping and dry-heating, without germination, to significantly increase avenanthramide levels up to 750 ppm or more, allowing for higher concentrations without the limitations of traditional malting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional malting is used to increase avenanthramide concentration, then avenanthramide levels increase moderately, but germination occurs which complicates milling and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by inducing dormancy in the oats before the malting process. This prevents germination from occurring during malting, thereby avoiding the complications with milling and processing that would otherwise result from germinated grains, while still allowing avenanthramide concentration to increase through the malting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by using dormancy induction to counteract the natural germination tendency of oats during malting. This anti-action (preventing germination) resolves the contradiction by allowing the beneficial avenanthramide concentration increase while preventing the harmful germination effects that would complicate subsequent processing.
2Quantity of substance
If traditional malting is used to increase avenanthramide concentration, then avenanthramide levels increase, but the increase is limited and does not achieve desired physiological responses
Solution Approach 1:
By inducing dormancy before malting, the patent enables a more substantial increase in avenanthramide concentration than traditional malting alone can achieve. This preliminary preparation allows the malting process to concentrate avenanthramides more effectively, reaching the 1000-3000 ppm range necessary for reliable physiological responses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physiological state of the oats (inducing dormancy) and the malting conditions (temperature, duration) to optimize avenanthramide concentration. These parameter changes enable achieving much higher concentrations (1000-3000 ppm) compared to traditional malting, thereby ensuring reliable physiological responses.
3Use of energy by moving object
If oats are allowed to germinate during malting, then metabolic activity increases, but avenanthramide concentration does not reach therapeutic levels and processing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by preventing germination through dormancy induction, thereby redirecting metabolic activity away from growth processes and toward secondary metabolite production. This allows avenanthramide concentration to reach therapeutic levels without the competing demands of germination metabolism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of suppressed germination (reduced metabolic activity) into a benefit by channeling metabolic resources toward avenanthramide synthesis. The dormancy-induced metabolic shift, which would normally be considered a reduction in activity, actually benefits avenanthramide accumulation by eliminating competing metabolic pathways.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method dramatically increases avenanthramide concentrations in oats, making them suitable for food, feed, and industrial applications by maintaining the oats' integrity and usability in milling processes, thereby enhancing their cardiovascular health benefits.
Implementation Method 1
the oats are anaerobically steeped to induce or to enhance the dormancy
Implementation Method 2
the oats are dry-heated before the false malting to induce the dormancy
Implementation Method 3
subjecting the oats in dormancy to false malting, resulting in the oats with the increased avenanthramide concentration
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for increasing the levels of avenanthramides in oats through false malting is disclosed. Oats are first subject to induction or enhancement of a secondary dormancy, and then malted for up to 5 days at an elevated temperature. The malted but not germinated oats are then dried and used as is, or further processed or milled to produce food, feed, nutraceutical or personal care products and ingredients. Methods are also provided for rendering non-dormant oats dormant and thus suitable for false malting.