Flow Properties of Solutions of Oat β-Glucans

The flow properties of aqueous solutions of oat β-glucans were studied using a Bohlin rheometer (concentric cylinder geometry) over the shear rate range 0.734–1500 1/sec at temperatures between 15 and 75 °C. The β-glucan powder concentrations employed were 0.20–1.56% (w/w). The power law model was satisfactory for describing the flow behavior of β-glucans over the shear rate range 18.6–232 1/sec. The magnitudes of activation energy were in the range 2.41–4.61 (kcal/ mol). Sucrose decreased the flow behavior index and increased the consistency index of β-glucans and decreased the activation energy at lower β-glucan concentrations, these effects being most pronounced at a sucrose concentration of 25%. The D-value for solutions of β-glucans (0.65%) at 100 °C was 145 hr.