Brewing, Malting and Juice

Enzymes in the Brewing Industry – In beer manufacture, barley grain is malted (germinated under controlled conditions) and kilned. This malt is extracted to give wort. The wort is cooked and treated with hops, fermented with yeast, filtered and stabilised.

The aim of the malting process is to achieve maximum production of enzymes (particularly α-amylase and β-glucanase) and maximum depolymerisation of starch and β-glucan, with minimal respiration losses. Key enzyme activities are α-amylase, β-amylase, β-glucanase and limit-dextrinase. Xylanase may also be of some importance. In mashing, the aim is to produce maximum quantities of fermentable sugars in a liquor which is easy to filter.

The importance of β-glucan in affecting the rate of wort and beer filtration, and the potential for formation of β-glucan hazes in the final product, the beer, are well documented. The importance of arabinoxylan levels and their effect on filtration rates is less clear.

In the juice industry, enzymes are used to increase juice yield from the pulp, and are also used for juice clarification. Increased yields are obtained by depolymerization of the pectic matrix. However, this comes at a price. Released polymer fragments may self-associate to form hazes or precipitates e.g. arabinan hazes.

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Brewing, Malting and Juice

Analyte	Cat. No.	Analyte Significance	Advantages Of Megazyme Test Kits
α-Amylase	K-AMYLSD K-CERA P-BLDX T-AMZBG	A key indicator of malt quality. An endo-acting enzyme that hydrolyses α-1,4 glucose linkages in starch. Responsible for releasing fermentable sugars from starch during the mashing phase of wort production.	Novel method. Defined substrate. High sensitivity. Automated method Novel assays employing a defined oligosaccharide substrate Ceralpha Method: AOAC Method 2002.01; AACC Method 22-02.01; ICC Standard Method no. 303; RACI Standard Method; CCFRA Flour Testing Working Group Method 0018 Widely used in automated procedures for the measurement of α-amylase particularly with Scalar CFA equipment Novel procedure. Rapid reaction, stable reagent. Suitable for the measurement of α-amylase in sprouted barley grains
β-Amylase	K-BETA3	A key indicator of malt quality. An exo-acting enzyme that cleaves maltose units from the non-reducing end of dextrins & starch fragments. Responsible for releasing fermentable sugars from starch during the mashing phase of wort production.	Only kit available. Stable reagents; RACI Standard Method
Malt Amylase	K-MALTA	Measurement of α-amylase & β-amylase. Key indicators of malt quality. Responsible for releasing fermentable sugars from starch during the mashing phase of wort production.	Combination of both K-CERA and K-BETA3 assays
β-Glucan (Barley and oats)	K-BGLU	The major polysaccharide of the cell walls of endosperm in barley & oat grains. A high level of β-glucan is associated with undesirable high viscosity worts.	Rapid reaction, stable reagents, only enzymatic kit available. AOAC Method 995.16; AACC Method 32-23.01; ICC Standard Method No. 166; RACI Standard Method
β-Glucanase	K-MBGL K-MBG4 T-BGZ	A key enzyme in the hydrolysis of β-glucans during malting & mashing phases. Supplementation of β-glucanase may be applied at the mashing phase. A high level of β-glucan is associated with undesirable high viscosity worts.	Novel method. Defined substrate. High sensitivity. Automated method Rapid reaction, stable reagents, RACI Standard Method Novel substrate. Rapid reaction, stable reagent; RACI Standard Method
D-Glucose	K-GLUC K-GLUHK	A major fermentable sugar in wort, also present as maltose & limit dextrins. It is essential in supporting growth of yeast during fermentation	Rapid reaction, stable reagents
Limit-Dextrinase / Pullanase	L-LDZ K-PULLG6	A key enzyme in hydrolysis of α-1,6 glucosyl linkages in starch & branched malto-dextrins. Used as a supplement for production of highly fermentable worts.	Novel substrate. Rapid reaction, stable reagent; RACI Standard Method Novel assay employing a defined oligosaccharide substrate. High sensitivity & specificity. Stable reagents. Automated method
Primary Amino Nitrogen (PAN / FAN)	K-PANOPA	A key indicator of malt & wort quality. Free amino acids & short polypeptides are the major source of free amino nitrogen (FAN) in worts. FAN is essential in supporting growth of yeast during fermentation.	Novel procedure. Rapid reaction, stable reagents
Total Starch	K-TSTA K-TSHK	Starch is the major storage carbohydrate source in cereal grains. Gelatenisation & enzymatic hydrolysis of starch is essential for releasing fermentable sugars & occurs during the mashing phase of wort production.	Rapid assay formats with options of measuring D-glucose with GOPOD reagent or with hexokinase / G-6-PDH. Stable reagents. AOAC Method 996.11; AACC Method 76-13.01; ICC Method No. 168; RACI Standard Method
endo-β-Xylanase	T-XAX	A key enzyme in hydrolysis of malt xylans.	Novel method. Defined substrate. High sensitivity. Automated method Novel substrate. Rapid reaction, stable reagent

Brewing Malting and Juice