RAPID METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYPEPTIDE COMPONENTS OF BEER

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Abstract
Size exclusion chromatography and a coomassie blue dye-binding assay were used to investigate the high molecular weight polypeptide fractions of beer. Size exclusion chromatography using small colums of Sephadex G25, G50 (10 ml) and G75 (20 ml) together with an automated FPLC system enabled the rapid isolation of high molecular weight polypeptide fractions of beer. Size exclusion chromatography using small columns of Sephadex was investigated as a method for the determination of the total high molecular weight polypeptides in beer. The results from the analysis of a series of pilot brewery beers produced under standardised brewing conditions showed that the head retention value of a beer correlated with the content of high molecular weight polypeptide material regardless of the molecular weight fraction assayed. Both methods may be used to monitor the high molecular weight polypeptide content, predict the head retention value of a beer and are sufficiently rapid for routine use in the quality control laboratory.