Kvasny Prum. 2008; 54(6): 181-185 | DOI: 10.18832/kp2008011

Monitoring of acrylamide in the course of malting and in beer.Peer-reviewed article

Renata MIKULÍKOVÁ, Zdeněk SVOBODA, Sylva BĚLÁKOVÁ, Simona MACUCHOVÁ

Výzkumný ústav pivovarský a sladařský, a. s., Sladařský ústav Brno, Mostecká 7, CZ-614 00 Brno

Acrylamide in food is produced in the course of Maillard's reaction and its precursors are reducing saccharides and amino acid asparagin. Reaction mechanism of the acrylamide formation in food depends on food composition and processing conditions. Acrylamide is formed in a significant quantity by heat treatment of food above 120 °C, the highest quantity of acrylamide is created at 150-180 °C. At higher temperatures acrylamide creation is substantially lower as the elimination reaction is faster than that producing acrylamide. Raw material for malt production is barley, a plant with content of nitrogen compounds and high content of starch. During malting enzymes increase the content of reducing saccharides in malt, during kilning biochemical changes are induced by temperature, and melanoid substances originate. These conditions are favorable for acrylamide creation. Changes of acrylamide levels were followed in malt and subsequently in the produced beer. Acrylamide content varied depending on the type of the malt in the scope of 0.2-3.0 mg/kg and thermal maximum of its origin (160-170 °C) was confirmed. Despite its relatively high content in malt (from 0.2 to 3.0 mg.kg-1), no acrylamide was detected in any of the analyzed samples of beer.Acrylamide in food is produced in the course of Maillard's reaction and its precursors are reducing saccharides and amino acid asparagin. Reaction mechanism of the acrylamide formation in food depends on food composition and processing conditions. Acrylamide is formed in a significant quantity by heat treatment of food above 120 °C, the highest quantity of acrylamide is created at 150-180 °C. At higher temperatures acrylamide creation is substantially lower as the elimination reaction is faster than that producing acrylamide. Raw material for malt production is barley, a plant with content of nitrogen compounds and high content of starch. During malting enzymes increase the content of reducing saccharides in malt, during kilning biochemical changes are induced by temperature, and melanoid substances originate. These conditions are favorable for acrylamide creation. Changes of acrylamide levels were followed in malt and subsequently in the produced beer. Acrylamide content varied depending on the type of the malt in the scope of 0.2-3.0 mg/kg and thermal maximum of its origin (160-170 °C) was confirmed. Despite its relatively high content in malt (from 0.2 to 3.0 mg.kg-1), no acrylamide was detected in any of the analyzed samples of beer.

Keywords: acrylamide, GC/MSD, malt, beer

Published: June 1, 2008