Barley for Brewing: Characteristic Changes during Malting, Brewing and Applications of its By-Products

A High-Throughput RNA Extraction for Sprouted Single-Seed Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Rich in Polysaccharides

Germinated seed from cereal crops including barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important tissue to extract RNA and analyze expression levels of genes that control aspects of germination. These tissues are rich in polysaccharides and most methods for RNA extraction are not suitable to handle the excess polysaccharides. Here, we compare the current methods for RNA extraction applicable to germinated barley tissue. We found that although some of these standard methods produced high-quality RNA, the process of extraction was drastically slow, mostly because the frozen seed tissue powder from liquid N₂ grinding became recalcitrant to buffer mixing. Our suggested modifications to the protocols removed the need for liquid N₂ grinding and significantly increased the output efficiency of RNA extraction. Our modified protocol has applications in other cereal tissues rich in polysaccharides, including oat.

Optimising the (Microwave) Hydrothermal Pretreatment of Brewers Spent Grains for Bioethanol Production

For the production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, it is important to optimise the thermochemical pretreatment which is required to facilitate subsequent liberation of monomeric sugars. Here, we report optimisation of pretreatment conditions for brewers spent grains (BSG) with the main objectives of (1) working at commercially relevant high solids content, (2) minimising energy and chemical inputs, and (3) maximising downstream sugar yields. Studies indicated there to be a play-off between pretreatment solids content, the usage of an acid catalyst, and pretreatment temperature. For example, yields of 80–90% theoretical glucose could be obtained following pretreatment at 35% w/v solids and 200°C, or at 140–160°C with addition of 1% HCl. However, at very high solids loadings (40–50% w/v) temperatures of 180–200°C were necessary to attain comparable sugar yields, even with an acid catalyst. The feasibility of producing bioethanol from feedstocks generated using these protocols was demonstrated (but not optimised) at laboratory scale.

Physicochemical and toxicological evaluation of silica nanoparticles suitable for food and consumer products collected by following the EC recommendation

Specific information about the particle size distribution, agglomeration state, morphology, and chemical composition of four silica samples, used as additives in food and in personal care products, were achieved with a combination of analytical techniques. The combined use of differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS), sedimentation field flow fractionation (SdFFF), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) allows to classify the water dispersed samples as "nanomaterials" according to the EC definition. The mechanical stirring and the ultrasound treatment were compared as dispersion methods. The particle surface chemical composition, determined by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), assessed the different levels of purity between the pyrogenic and the precipitated silica and highlighted particle surface chemical composition modifications in the outer shell when dispersed by mechanical stirring. The potential toxic effects of silica on intestinal Caco-2 cells were investigated using MTS assay and by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and caspases 3/7 activity after 24 h of incubation. No or limited decrease of cell viability was observed for all particles regardless of dispersion procedure, suggesting a relative innocuity of these silica samples.

Effect of Rht alleles on wheat grain yield and quality under high temperature and drought stress during booting and anthesis

The present study examined the effects of gibberellin semi-sensitive reduced height (Rht) alleles on wheat grain yield and quality under high temperature and drought stress during booting and anthesis stages. Near-isogenic lines (NILs) of winter wheat (Rht (tall), Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, Rht-B1c, Rht-8c, Rht-D1c, Rht-12) having background of Mercia and Maris Widgeon cultivars were compared under variable temperatures (day/night: 20/12, 27/19, 30/22, 33/25, 36/28, and 39/31 °C) and irrigation regimes. Pots were transferred to controlled thermal conditions (Saxcil growth chamber) during booting and anthesis stages and were maintained at field capacity (FC) or had water withheld. High temperature (>30 °C) and drought stress for seven consecutive days during booting and anthesis stages reduced the grain yield, while increased nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) concentrations. A 50 % reduction in grain yield was fitted to have occurred at 37.4 °C for well-watered plants and at 31.4 °C for drought-stressed plants. The N and S concentrations were higher for severe dwarfs, whereas no significant differences were observed between tall and semi-dwarfs in Mercia. In the taller background (Maris Widgeon), N and S concentrations were significantly higher compared with that in Mercia. In Mercia, the severe dwarf Rht-D1c had higher Hagberg falling number (HFN) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) sedimentation volume. In both backgrounds, semi-dwarfs and severe dwarfs had higher HFN. Moreover, the SDS sedimentation volumes in Maris Widgeon were also higher than that in Mercia. Greater adaptability and improved grain quality traits suggested that severe dwarf Rht alleles are better able to enhance tolerance to high temperature and drought stress in wheat.

Comparing the effect of visceral fat and barley seed ash (hordeum vulgare L) with silversulfadiazine on burn wound healing in rats

BACKGROUND

Skin burn is one of the most common complications and remains a major public health issue worldwide.

OBJECTIVES

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of traditional medicine (Visceral Fat and Barely Seed Ash) compared with silversulfadiazine (SSD) cream on healing burn wounds in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of equal numbers; each group consisted of 15 animals. After sedation, type II of skin burn with 1.5 cm diameter circle was created on the back of rats with a heated metal in boiling water. Group one was not treated and considered as control. The burned areas in the second, third and fourth groups were applied twice a day with normal saline, SSD cream and traditional preparation, respectively. Percentage of the burn wound concentration and histopathological examinations were used as parameters of our study on days 4, 9and 14. Obtained data were compared between the groups and days.

RESULTS

SSD cream and traditional preparation had better effects on burnt wound healing compared with control group. Furthermore, on the final day of study, the average percentage of wound concentration in traditional medicine group was significantly greater than other groups (P < 0.05). This finding was supported and confirmed by histological examination as well.

CONCLUSIONS

Traditional preparation significantly decreased inflammation and accelerated wound healing in treated rats. Furthermore, the findings of this study can be applied clinically in the future.

Comparative proteomic analysis of Dan'er malts produced from distinct malting processes by two-dimensional fluorescence difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE)

The malting process is the controlled germination, followed by drying, of the barley grain. For brewing beer, the malting process is modified according to the features of the barley variety being malted. In China, there are two schedules routinely used for malting the widely grown Dan'er cultivar, processes I and II. The quality of malt produced with process II is considered to be superior to that from process I for Dan'er by maltsters and brewers. In the present study, comparative proteomic analysis was performed between Dan'er malts produced by malting processes I and II. The data showed that enzymes and proteins responsible for cell wall polysaccharide degradation and starch and protein hydrolysis were more abundant in malt produced by process II, leading to improved quality, especially for the commercially important filterability, saccharification time, and diastatic power (DP) quality traits. In addition, to verify the proteomic results, the activities of several key enzymes (α-amylase, β-amylase, and limit dextrinase) were compared between the two malts. This enabled the influence of malting process on malt quality to be determined and suggested malting process schedule changes to optimize the malting process for the Dan'er cultivar, especially for improving filterability, which is often deemed as suboptimal by maltsters and brewers.

Development of SNP markers for genes of the phenylpropanoid pathway and their association to kernel and malting traits in barley

BACKGROUND

Flavonoids are an important class of secondary compounds in angiosperms. Next to certain biological functions in plants, they play a role in the brewing process and have an effect on taste, color and aroma of beer. The aim of this study was to reveal the haplotype diversity of candidate genes involved in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway in cultivated barley varieties (Hordeum vulgare L.) and to determine associations to kernel and malting quality parameters.

RESULTS

Five genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), chalcone synthase (CHS), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) and dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR) of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway were partially resequenced in 16 diverse barley reference genotypes. Their localization in the barley genome, their genetic structure, and their genetic variation e.g. single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and Insertion/Deletion (InDel) patterns were revealed. In total, 130 SNPs and seven InDels were detected. Of these, 21 polymorphisms were converted into high-throughput pyrosequencing markers. The resulting SNP and haplotype patterns were used to calculate associations with kernel and malting quality parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

SNP patterns were found to be highly variable for the investigated genes. The developed high-throughput markers are applicable for assessing the genetic variability and for the determination of haplotype patterns in a set of barley accessions. The candidate genes PAL, C4H and F3H were shown to be associated to several malting properties like glassiness (PAL), viscosity (C4H) or to final attenuation (F3H).

Koji--where East meets West in fermentation

Almost all biotechnological processes originate from traditional food fermentations, i.e. the many indigenous processes that can be found already in the written history of thousands of years ago. We still consume many of these fermented foods and beverages on a daily basis today. The evolution of these traditional processes, in particular since the 19th century, stimulated and influenced the development of modern biotechnological processes. In return, the development of modern biotechnology and related advanced techniques will no doubt improve the process, the product quality and the safety of our favourite fermented foods and beverages. In this article, we describe the relationship between these traditional food fermentations and modern biotechnology. Using Koji and its derived product soy sauce as examples, we address the mutual influences that will provide us with a better future concerning the quality, safety and nutritional effect of many fermented food products.