BIOTIN IN THE MATERIALS AND PROCESS OF BREWING

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Abstract
Continuing the investigations on vitamins B in brewing materials and processes, we now discuss biotin, an important growth factor for bacteria and yeasts, a member of the “bios” group, and a necessary nutrient in the human dietary. Apart from the biological method of assay, no methods other than microbiological are available, and the latter type of method has been used in the present instance. Finished beers contain small but definite amounts of biotin derived from the barley, malt, hops and some of the adjuncts used. About two-thirds of the biotin of the original wort pass into the finished beer, this containing just over half of the biotin present in all the original materials. An absolute loss of biotin appears to occur at the fermentation stage, to an extent of about 15 per cent. Experiments with yeast in synthetic media tend to support the view that the loss is greatest when the medium is least complete with respect to other growth factors. At present no data are available with regard to the daily requirement of biotin in the human dietary, and the contribution made by beer cannot as yet be assessed.

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