Newly released oat varieties of himalayan region -Techno-functional, rheological, and nutraceutical properties of flour

• Oat flour exhibited shear thinning behavior and high pasting temperature.
• Significant nutraceutical potential were detected in oat flour extracts.
• Appreciable amount of functional polysaccharides like β-glucan and resistant starch was found.

Physico-chemical, functional, rheological and antioxidant properties of three varieties of oat flour (Sabzaar, SKO20, & SKO90) were investigated. Flour analysis revealed β-glucan, resistant starch, and total starch contents in an appreciable quantity. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of small and large starch granules, oval or irregular shape with varying dimensions, embedded in the network of proteins. Rheological analysis suggested that oat flour consisted of interchain aggregations and showed shear thinning behavior as revealed from Herschel-Bulkely model and frequency sweep. The phenolic content varied significantly within varieties and ranged from 752.27 to 795.37 μg GAE/g and 693.29 to 724.77 μg FAE/g. The total flavonoids content ranged from 201.58 to 244.92 μg rutin equivalent/g. Further antioxidant activity was evaluated by three complementary assays: DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and metal chelating activity.