The heat-induced aggregation of oat globulin was studied using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) combined with on-line multiangle laser light scattering (MALLS) and quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS). The unheated oat globulin exists as a mixture of hexamer (>95%), trimer, and dimer forms of hexamer. The molecular weight of the hexamer was estimated by MALLS to be 330 000, close to that deduced from the genomic cloned data of the acidic and basic polypeptides of oat globulin. From QELS measurements, it can be predicted that the hexamer exists as two annular trimeric rings, with a diameter of 11.8 nm, placed on top of each other, forming an oblate cylinder with a height of about 8.5 nm. Upon heating at 100 degrees C, the oat globulin hexamers and trimers were dissociated into monomers. The heat-denatured monomers, probably assuming an extended structure, were associated to form small aggregates, which were further aggregated to high molecular weight complexes. Upon further heating (60 min), the soluble aggregates were associated to form insoluble aggregates. Aggregation of oat globulin occurred at a much faster rate at 110 degrees C. The results indicate that the SEC-MALLS-QELS system is suitable for studying thermal aggregation of food proteins.