Supporting digestive health with concentrated oat beta-glucan

October 08 2026 - News

Gut and microbiome health are increasingly valued in pet food. As a result, manufacturers are increasingly looking for natural ingredients with prebiotic properties that can support healthy gut function in pets. 

Because cats and dogs don’t digest oat beta-glucan in the small intestine, it reaches the colon, where it is fermented by the gut microbiota. This fermentation process supports the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that plays an important role in maintaining healthy gut function.     

Nutritional and functional benefits

Oat beta-glucan is particularly well suited for formulations focused on prebiotic support and digestive health. Research in dogs has also shown that supplementation with oat beta-glucan can reduce concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and VLDL cholesterol. 

In addition to these nutritional benefits, oat beta-glucan has a high water-binding capacity and can increase viscosity, contributing to texture and stability. Its high beta-glucan concentration also allows it to be used at relatively low inclusion levels. 

PromOat: concentrated beta-glucan from oats 

IQI offers PromOat, a concentrated oat beta-glucan ingredient developed and produced by our partner Lantmännen. It is made from oat bran using modern dry- and wet-milling technologies that separate and concentrate the valuable components of the oat kernel. 

PromOat contains approximately 34% beta-glucan and 40% dietary fiber. It consists primarily of soluble oat fiber, with only a minimal amount of insoluble fiber. No chemicals are used during production, resulting in a natural oat-derived ingredient. 

Discover PromOat 

Read our new product leaflet to learn more about the production, characteristics, benefits, and applications of PromOat. 

Would you like to discuss the possibilities for your formulation? Please contact us.