Analysis of flavour compounds in beer with extruded corn starch as an adjunct

Abstract

Extruded corn starch (ECS) was used as an adjunct during beer fermentation and the fermentable sugars in the wort made with ECS and cooked corn starch (CCS) were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. The flavour compounds of beer made using ECS and CCS were determined using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and eight volatile compounds in ECS and CCS beer were quantified using gas chromatography (GC). Five fermentable sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, maltotriose) were detected in both samples, and their content in ECS wort was higher than in CCS wort, except for maltose. Seventy-three flavour compounds were identified and quantified in ECS beer, while 58 compounds were determined in CCS beer. Both ECS and CCS can be used to produce beer; however, the concentration of characteristic beer flavour compounds in ECS beer was higher than in CCS beer. Copyright © 2018 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling.