Sensitivity Analysis in Predictive Models for assessing the Level of β-Glucan in Oats and Barley Cultivars Using Meta-Models

Abstract

Oats and barley β-glucans are well-known for their many health benefits; this has encouraged the food industry to develop new functional foods containing oats and barley. This study aims to develop an advanced sensitivity analysis to analyse and evaluate the most significant model inputs contributing to uncertainty in assessing the level of β-glucan content in harvested oat and barley grains. Two methodologies, nominal value and regression method sensitivity analysis, were adopted. The nominal sensitivity analysis highlighted that cultivar selection is the predominant factor with a correlation coefficient 0.66 for hulled oats and barley cultivars, whereas the correlation was 0.80 and 0.77 for naked oats and hull-less barley, respectively. Advanced sensitivity analysis using regression modelling highlighted that cultivar selection, storage days and germination time (days) were the most important parameters in both the oats and barley model. Regression analysis using the response surface methodology shows that prediction models were found to be significant (P< 0.0001) with low standard errors and high coefficients of determination (R 2 >0.94). This study shows that regression modelling is an effective tool to highlight the effect of key input variables and their interactive effects on the predictive response of β-glucan in harvested oats and barley cultivars.

Community structure of fungal pathogens causing spikelet rot disease of naked oat from different ecological regions of China

“…This discoloration is mainly considered a blemish of the grain but not a factor affecting quality 10 . This disease has generally received comparatively little attention and is considered a minor disease that does not warrant specific control measures 10 when compared with oat diseases such as rusts, blights, smuts, spots, and culm and root rots 1 , 12 – 14 . Recently, the most general usage of naked oat has been for livestock feed, but oat consumption as a human food has recently increased, perhaps due to the reported health benefits arising from the nutritional value of the grains 14 .…”

“…This disease has generally received comparatively little attention and is considered a minor disease that does not warrant specific control measures 10 when compared with oat diseases such as rusts, blights, smuts, spots, and culm and root rots 1 , 12 – 14 . Recently, the most general usage of naked oat has been for livestock feed, but oat consumption as a human food has recently increased, perhaps due to the reported health benefits arising from the nutritional value of the grains 14 . However, fungal infection of grains in the field may result in yield nutritive value reduction and the production of toxins that are harmful to humans and animals 10 , 15 , 16 .…”

Volatile Profiles from Traditional Chinese Oat Meal Varied Significantly from Oat Porridge and Differed with Cultivars and Locations

“…Oat ( Avena sativa ) is an important crop worldwide. Growing recognition of the nutritional value of the oat grain has led to its increased consumption, mainly due to its high content of mixed‐linked β‐glucan (Tiwari & Cummins, ), which is considered as the bioactive compound and has the function of reducing postprandial glucose and regulating blood lipids. Thus, regular consumption of oats is good for diabetic patients (Hou et al., ).…”