Are steel cut oats raw?
Good question! I googled oats and steel cut oats, and found that most sources tend to pussy-foot around the issue. Wikipedia states that hulled oats ” pass through a heat and moisture treatment to balance moisture, but mainly to stabilize the groat. Oat groats are high in fat (lipids) and once exposed from their protective hull, enzymatic (lipase) activity begins to break down the fat into free fatty acids, ultimately causing an off flavor or rancidity. Oats will begin to show signs of enzymatic rancidity within 4 days of being dehulled and not stabilized. This process is primarily done in food grade plants, not in feed grade plants. An oat groat is not considered a raw oat groat if it has gone through this process: the heat has disrupted the germ, and the oat groat will not sprout.” Does this mean that oat groats and steel-cut oats which are sold as food products raw or not? Wisegeek.com says “Just as with all types of prepared oats, steel cut oats are made from oat grains that have b
