This study investigates the potential of using oat milk residue (oat okara) as a valuable resource for producing food. Oat milk production generate tens of thousands of tons of oat okara yearly, in Sweden alone. Through enzymatic and acidic treatments, oat composition was analyzed, involving three enzymatic conditions with α-amylase, for En-1 with 0.5 ml, En-2 1 ml and En-3 with 2 ml. and two acidic conditions one with 12 ml HCl and the other with 5 ml phosphoric acid, alongside a control group and raw oats. The enzymatic treatments with α-amylase reduced starch content from 57% to 11%, increased fiber from 14 to 43%, and protein from 14 to 24%, with En-3 having the richest fiber and protein content.

Acidic treatment, especially using HCl (AC-H), showed the highest protein and fat concentration percentage and the lowest ash content compared to the enzymatic and phosphoric acid treatments. Viscosity analysis indicated that enzymatic treatments, particularly En-2, were most comparable to commercial oat milk. This suggests potential for improving oat processing techniques to meet various functional requirements in the food industry. Overall, the study demonstrates the versatility of oat okara in promoting sustainability by reducing waste by incorporating it into food production. The investigation contributes to developing efficient and sustainable techniques for oat processing, enhancing health outcomes, and environmental sustainability.