THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOTAL β-GLUCAN OF MALT AND MALT QUALITY

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Abstract
The total β-glucan content of barley and malts has been determined using a direct enzyme degradation method incorporating measures to ensure inactivation of any contaminating amyloglucosidase. Results for barleys range between 2·7 and 4·4% w/w and indicate genetic variation in the β-glucan content. Malts produced by both a laboratory micromalting procedure and commercially have been analysed for total β-glucan, extract and 70°C mash viscosity at different stages of germination and in the end product. A very good correlation has been found between total β-glucan and fine-concentrated extract difference values showing that in a fully modified malt having a negligible extract difference value, all the β-glucan material is degraded. The extract difference value had been demonstrated earlier to be closely linked with brewhouse extract yield. The total β-glucan of malt, therefore, is directly associated with achievable extract in the brewhouse and is the most important biochemical factor determining the extractability of a malt.