LIMIT-DEXTRINASE ACTIVITY IN MALTED BARLEY

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Limit dextrinase has been shown to occur in malt in addition to α-amylase and β-amylase and a method for the measurement of a limit-dextrinase index is described. No useful relationship was found between the limit-dextrinase index and α-amylase, diastatic power or extract in 33 malts from home produced barley, and in 39 malts from Canadian barley, except that statistical analysis showed some correlation between the limit-dextrinase index and α-amylase of the malts made from Canadian barley. In fermentation trials using four malts from Canadian barley, neither the α-amylase nor the limit dextrinase gave a useful prediction of the alcohol that could be produced. However, when only small proportions of these malts were used to prepare the grain mash the alcohol yields were best reflected by the diastatic power. Measurement of the limit-dextrinase index in a series of Canadian barley malts and in a series of English barley malts at different stages of germination showed that activity gradually increased to a maximum on the 5th day of germination and remained at a steady level until the 9th day.