Program Book - Master Brewers Association of the Americas

Poster Session Abstracts & Biographies
Poster Session: Analytical
Moderator: Cecil Giarratano, Molson-Coors Brewing Company,
Golden, CO
P-64
Barley and malt varietal identification using microfluidic labon-a-chip
technology and automated pattern-matching
DHAN BHANDARI (1), Samantha Walker (2), David Griggs (2)
(1) Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association, Chipping
Campden, England; (2) BRI, Nutfield, England
It is important for the maltster to be able identify barley varieties
at intake to ensure that the contracted variety is being delivered,
it is stored in the correct location and used for production of malt
appropriate to its particular attributes or customer demand.
Traditional methods for varietal identification of malting barley
involve a visual inspection by a skilled operative at point of intake
or lengthy analysis post-intake by acid-PAGE (polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis) conducted by highly skilled laboratory personnel.
Lab-on-a-chip technology presents an opportunity for the maltster
to conduct an alternative method of authenticity analysis at
intake. Complete analysis of 10 barley samples and standards
can be conducted in around 50 minutes, at a cost of about £1.40
GBP ($2.75 USD) per sample, based on present kit costs. This
electrophoresis method is considerably easier, quicker, cheaper
and safer than other laboratory-based alternatives. Here, total
barley proteins were extracted from a selection of winter and spring
varieties and their corresponding malts. Proteins were separated
using the Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100/LabChip protein assay system,
and the resultant patterns were aligned for comparison using the
Nonlinear Dynamics Totallab TL120 DM computerized patternrecognition
software. The suitability of this technology for barley
and malt varietal identification and its performance in comparison
to acid-PAGE is discussed.
Dhan Bhandari received a B.S. degree in medical biochemistry
and Ph.D. degree in muscle biochemistry from the University of
Birmingham, UK. He conducted biochemical and biophysical
research on molecular mechanisms underlying cell motility and
muscle contraction at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
(1985–1987) and later at Birmingham. In 1991, he joined FMRA
(which became CCFRA in 1996) as a senior scientist to conduct
research on various aspects of wheat quality. This includes
optimizing N fertilizer input to wheat crops, varietal authentication
by electrophoretic techniques, the study of endosperm texture, gluten
proteins, and enzymes involved in pre- and post-harvest sprouting
in grains. He was awarded the Heinz Travelling Scholarship for
Technical and Scientific Excellence in 2004 for his work on wheat
quality and authenticity. He is the technical secretary of the CCFRA
Cereal Variety Working Party.
P-65
Near infrared spectroscopy—A useful tool for industrial
breweries
ADAM BROZ (1), Petr Kosin (1), Jan Savel (1), Josef Prokes (2)
(1) Budweiser Budvar N.C., Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; (2)
Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, Brno, Czech Republic
A modern industrial brewery needs tools to keep on top of the
standard quality of incoming raw materials as well as to check and
control all steps in production process. The cost of everyday analyses
has increased, and application of many analyses in laboratory has
98
become almost impossible due to time consumption and high costs.
Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) offers a quick solution in many
ways, especially in malt and hops analysis and fermentation process
control. NIR spectrometry with Fourier transformation (FT-NIR)
has been used, and models for prediction have been developed,
validated and used daily for needed analytic characteristics of malt,
hops and fermenting wort. The FT-NIR spectrometer Bruker multipurpose
analyzer (MPA) was used for all described experiments.
Spectra of solid malt samples were taken in reflectance mode. Malt
coming into the brewery from industrial malting plants collected
within a year was analyzed according to EBC Analytica and MEBAK.
The same procedure was repeated with malt produced in micromalting
plant from samples of barley, which served for monitoring
of two following barley crops in the Czech Republic. These methods
were determined to be references, and results obtained were used
for calibration of the NIR spectrometer using OPUS 5.5 software
(Bruker, USA). Ground natural hop sample spectra were also
measured in reflectance mode, and the NIR system was calibrated
for moisture and bitter acids content. Samples of fermenting hopped
wort in cylindro-conical vessels (CCV) were analyzed in transmission
mode and for calibration used SCABA 5600 (Tecator, Sweden)
analysis results. Good correlation between infrared spectra of malt
and its very important characteristics based on sugars and proteins
and on the degree of their degradation were obtained. Models were
able to predict important characteristics of malt such as extract dry,
protein dry, soluble nitrogen, Kolbach number and relative extract
45°C with satisfactory accuracy. Application for basic natural hops
analysis was also successful, very good results were obtained for
moisture, conductometric value, α- and β-acids content. FT-NIR
spectroscopy also could be used for quick monitoring of the main
fermentation process in CCV; high correlation with spectra was
found for alcohol, apparent extract, apparent attenuation and
original extract. Models were maintained within two years of usage.
This approach is new compared with current published knowledge.
The improvement procedure was optimized and systematically
and periodically applied to assure the robustness of the methods
in spite of changes in the matrix of samples. Rapidity, low time
requirements, many analytic results derived from one spectrum
and no need of sample preparation are the main advantages of
this instrumental method. High instrument costs and the need for
calibration based on reference methods are the main disadvantages.
FT-NIR may be recommended for beer production at industrial
scale, where quality and process monitoring is needed at the
moment of production, and the amount of sample needed is high.
Adam Broz received an engineering (M.S. equivalent) degree in
brewing and malting from the Institute of Chemical Technology
Prague, Department of Fermentation Chemistry and Bioengineering,
Prague, Czech Republic, in 1999. He has been employed by
Budweiser Budvar N.C. in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, since
his graduation. He worked as a technician from 1999 to 2001, as a
chief of brewhouse from 2001 to 2004, and as a plant technologist
from 2004 to 2006. Since 2006, he has been working as a deputy
brewmaster. He has also been studying as a Ph.D. student in
biotechnology at the Institute of Chemical Technology Prague,
Department of Fermentation Chemistry and Bioengineering, since
2005.