The Variation in Chemical Composition of Swedish Oats

Abstract

The chemical composition of 121 samples of oats grown in Sweden was investigated. On average, the grains contained 46.2% starch, 32.3% total fibre, 11.6% crude protein, 5.7% crude fat, 3.0% ash and small amounts of free glucose, fructose, sucrose and fructans. The mean values of the free sugars showed the highest coefficients of variation and that of starch the lowest. The range of variation of the main constituents was 17.7%-units for total fibre, 15.9%-units for starch and 7.4%-units for crude protein. Highly significant (p< 0.001) negative coefficients of regression were obtained of total fibre (-0.75), crude protein (-0.19) and ash (-0.04) on starch. Further analysis of fibre constituents in 16 samples with widely differing starch contents revealed a close relationship between total fibre, calculated by difference, and dietary fibre, analysed as non-starch polysaccharides and Klason lignin. Cellulose, arabinoxylans, ß-glucans and Klason lignin were the major components of the dietary fibe. Xylose residues showed the highest variation in mean value. Significant correlations were obtained between all pairs of combinations of dietary fibre, arabinoxylans, cellulose, crude fibre and thousand kernel weight, while no significant correlations were found between ß-glucans or Klason lignin and any of the other fibre variables determined.