Hypocholesterolemic Potential of Oat Bran Treated with an Endo‐β‐D‐glucanase from Bacillus subfilis

Oat bran was treated with endo‐β‐D‐glucanases to hydrolyze β(1 ± 3) (1 ± 4)‐glucans. Hydrolysis of β‐glucans reduced the in vitro viscosity of a suspension of oat bran. Untreated oat bran and hydrolyzed oat bran were incorporated into hypercholesterolemic purified diets and fed to rats for 4 wk; a diet containing cellulose was used as a control. Hepatic cholesterol accumulation was affected by dietary treatment and was less in the oat bran group than in the enzyme‐treated oat bran or cellulose groups. Thus, functional properties of (1±3) (1±4)‐β‐D‐glucan, such as viscosity, appear to be related to its hypocholesterolemic potential.