EVALUATION OF MALTING QUALITY IN A BARLEY BREEDING PROGRAMME USE OF α‐AMYLASE AND β‐GLUCAN LEVLES IN MALT AS PRESELECTION TOOLS

Abstract

Analysis according to the EBC protocol, immunological determination of a α‐amylase and estimation of malt β‐glucan using the Calcofluor‐FIA method, were used to screen 327 barley breeding lines for malting quality. The results obtained with the α‐amylase and β‐glucan methods are highly correlated to the important malt quality paramters: extract yield and β‐glucan content in the wort. It is recommended that either of the two methods, which are simple to perform are used as prescreening tools in breeding programmes for malting barley. 1989 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling