A recent study from McGill University proposes a way to enhance the nutritional value of oats by increasing their content of oleic acid, a type of healthy fat known for its cardiovascular heart benefits and potential to lower diabetes.

The findings also suggest this modification could improve their oxidative stability, making oat-based products, such as oat milk, less likely to spoil. The research is published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.

“These findings pave the way for developing oat and other grain crop varieties with superior nutritional value, tailored to address specific health concerns,” explained Jaswinder Singh, Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Science, who led the study.

“This breakthrough holds significant promise for both the agricultural industry and consumer health, offering a novel approach to the development of nutrient-rich crops.”

The research team used genetic engineering techniques to alter how oats produce oil, focusing on key genes and enzymes involved in fat production.

“Oats are well known for their high fiber content, but now, with enriched fat profiles, they offer an even more comprehensive nutritional package,” said Zhou Zhou, post-doctoral researcher at McGill and first author of the study.

The findings are expected to be of particular interest to the oat milk industry, which will benefit from longer-lasting products, the researchers said.

The researchers anticipate strong interest from the oat industry in collaborating to develop high-quality, nutritious, and long-lasting oat products.

“Looking ahead, we aim to optimize oat crops for a range of nutritional and health-related targets through precision gene-editing techniques,” Singh said.