Folate in oats and its milling fractions

Total folate content in oat varieties from three harvesting years (2006–2008), and in oats milling fractions, was determined using microbiological assay. Furthermore, folate vitamer distribution in milling fractions were examined with the UPLC method, which was taken in use and validated. The total folate content of the cultivars varied moderately within each year. The average content in the 2008 samples was 685 ng/g dm. The UPLC method proved fast and sensitive for determining seven folate monoglutamates in cereal samples. Folate content in fractions, which are normally discarded, such as flour from oat cutting and flaking, were 1.5- to 2.5-fold higher than in native grain. The main folate vitamers found in the oat fractions were 5-CH3-H4folate, 5-HCO-H4folate, and 5,10-CH+-H4folate. The UPLC results more closely matched the microbiological results compared to those that are usually achieved with HPLC methods. This study illustrates that oats and, especially, by-products of milling are good sources of folate.