Carbonyl Compounds in Toasted Oat Flakes

Abstract

THE nut-like flavour of properly toasted oat flakes is associated with volatile and non-volatile compounds developing mostly during the toasting process. The volatile compounds are represented primarily by carbonyl compounds. Their amount, and in some cases even the content, are much higher after processing. In the original oat flakes, only slightly steamed, we established the presence of the following compounds: furfural, formaldehyde, propanal, acetone and two unidentified carbonyl compounds. In toasted oats a certain decrease of formaldehyde was observed, but a number of other aldehydes and ketones appeared. In laboratory tests we found acetaldehyde, butanal, 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbut-anal (α-methylbutanal), 3-methylbutanal (β-methylbutanal), hexanal, octanal and 2-butanal.