Composition and content of phenolic acids and avenanthramides in commercial oat products: Are oats an important polyphenol source for consumers?

Gulten Soycan; Manuel Y Schär; Angelika Kristek; Joanna Boberska; Sarah N S Alsharif; Giulia Corona; Peter R Shewry; Jeremy P E Spencer

doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2019.100047

Composition and content of phenolic acids and avenanthramides in commercial oat products: Are oats an important polyphenol source for consumers?

Food Chem X. 2019 Jul 4:3:100047. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2019.100047. eCollection 2019 Sep 30.

Authors

Gulten Soycan¹, Manuel Y Schär¹, Angelika Kristek¹, Joanna Boberska¹, Sarah N S Alsharif¹, Giulia Corona², Peter R Shewry^{1

3}, Jeremy P E Spencer¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, School of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Reading, UK.
² Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Roehampton, London, UK.
³ Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK.

Abstract

Oats contain a range of phenolic acids and avenanthramides which may have health benefits. Analysis of 22 commercial oat products (oat bran concentrate, oat bran, flaked oats, rolled oats and oatcakes) using HPLC-DAD detected eleven bound and thirteen free + conjugated phenolic acids and avenanthramides. The oat products (excluding concentrate) provided between 15.79 and 25.05 mg total phenolic acids (9.9-19.33 mg bound, 4.96-5.72 mg free + conjugated) and between 1.1 and 2 mg of avenanthramides in a 40 g portion while an 11 g portion of oat concentrate provided 16.7 mg of total phenolic acids (15.17 mg bound, 1.53 mg free + conjugated) and 1.2 mg of avenanthramides. The compositions and concentrations of the components in the different products were broadly similar, with the major component being ferulic acid (58-78.1%). The results show that commercial oat products are a source of phenolic acids and avenanthramides for consumers.

Keywords: Avenanthramides; Ferulic acid; Oat bran; Oat cakes; Oat products; Oats; Phenolic acids.