Unlocking the potential of oat okara: A review of origins, composition, and upcycling opportunities in plant-based foods

Abstract

• Oat okara is currently an underutilized side-stream of the plant beverages industry • Oat okara could be up-cycled as a new food ingredient for sustainable food systems • Enzyme pretreatments and fermentation are viable processing approaches for the revalorization of oat okara • A better understanding of oat okara composition and potential is needed for successfully exploiting its nutritional potential As the demand for sustainable plant-based alternatives grows, revalorizing by-products from food production in line with circular economy principles can reduce food waste and create economic value. The production of oat-based beverages generates significant amounts of oat okara, a nutrient-rich but underutilized by-product. This review discusses the composition of oat okara, emphasizing it