White receives USDA grant to study dietary fiber in oats

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An Iowa State University professor has received a $495,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve the nutrition your body receives from your morning bowl of cereal.

 

Dr. Pamela White, a University professor in food science and human nutrition, received the grant to continue her research on beta-glucan. “Beta-glucan is the dietary fiber in oats that imparts good nutritional benefits,” White said.

 

White is measuring the quality of beta-glucans by studying their structure. “We’re beginning to realize that all beta-glucans are not the same,” she said. Determining differences between these fibers will allow White and her colleagues to improve the nutritional content of oat-based foods such as cereals, oatmeal, and muffins.

 

White’s earlier research led to doubling the amount of beta-glucans in oats. “Previous research by others had shown that if you consume two bowls of oatmeal per day, there is a significant reduction in cholesterol,” White said. “We thought, ‘We’re probably not going to get people to eat two bowls per day, but if we can get them to eat one bowl per day, then we’ll have something here.’”

 

Anyone who sits down to breakfast is likely to benefit from her work. “Nearly three-fourths of all edible oats are placed into dry cereals,” White said. The presence of beta-glucan in oats allows Quaker Oats and General Mills to include a heart on each box, indicating the cereal has the potential to reduce cholesterol.

 

Still, White is aware that simply making food nutritious doesn’t necessarily improve nutrition. “You’ve got to get the oats into something people will actually eat,” she said. With this in mind, White and her colleague, Ni Yao, have also conducted “sensory tests” of the products to ensure they are appetizing in terms of consistency and taste. So far, so good. “There have been some slight differences, but nothing suggests people won’t accept and like them.”

 

In addition to fighting heart disease through cholesterol reduction, her work has further implications for healthy living that are being explored by White and other researchers. Such research has indicated that beta-glucan’s stickiness and viscosity may prevent the rapid sugar absorption that causes problems for diabetics. The viscosity also makes such foods more filling, which could aid in the fight against obesity. There are also signs that the fiber may help fight colon cancer by providing an environment suitable for beneficial bacteria in the body.

 

White is excited about the future of her research and focused on making the most of her opportunities. Ultimately, she is searching for the answers to many questions that she managed to summarize in a single one: “What will lead to the best results?”

 

For more information regarding her research, contact Dr. Pamela White at (515) 294-9688 or pjwhite@iastate.edu. General information about food science and human nutrition can be found on the College of Human Sciences web site: www.hs.iastate.edu.