2001 AACC Annual Meeting Charlotte, North Carolina October 14-18, 2001 Charlotte Convention Center

Malting is a three-step process containing steeping, germination and kilning. It has been used for centuries to soften kernels, impart distinctive flavours and colours. The most common area of use is brewing. The process is though of interest for other purposes with respect to its potential to increase the bioavailability of nutrients. In this project we are trying to optimise for nutritional properties by changing the traditional malting of barley to make it possible to develop new products. Two barley genotypes were malted by steeping to a defined moisture content. The bath for steeping was set at either 48°C or 15°C. The conditions of steeping was also changed by addition of lactic acid or lactic bacteria. Samples were withdrawn after 96 hours of germination and freeze dried. Total and unextractable beta-glucan was determined enzymically. The beta-glucanase activity was determined by an azo-glucan substrate method. Vitamin E were extracted with methanol and analysed on HPLC. The activity of beta-glucanase was higher for samples steeped at 15°C than those steeped at 48°C, which correlated with the reduction of beta-glucan that was higher for samples steeped at 15°C than at 48°C. The beta-glucanase activity was reduced further when adding lactic acid to the steeping water. Germination had a low influence on the content of vitamin E, though adding a lactic acid to the steeping water reduced the amount.