Relationship Between Proteinase Activity During Malting and Malt Quality

Makoto Kihara,1,2 Wataru Saito1, Yoshihiro Okada1, Takafumi Kaneko1, Takashi Asakura1 and Kazutoshi Ito1
1Plant Bioengineering Research Laboratories, Sapporo Breweries Ltd., 37-1, Kizaki, Nitta, Gumma 370-0393, Japan
2Corresponding author. Email: makoto.kihara@sapporobeer.co.jp

J. Inst. Brew. 108(3), 371-376, 2002  |   VIEW ARTICLE

ABSTRACT
Proteinase activity was investigated in malt from various barley lines. Results indicated that the total activity and the activity of each class of proteinase varied among the barley lines tested. Cysteine proteinase activity most closely correlated to the malting quality factors such as content of soluble nitrogen and Kolbach index, which shows the important role of cysteine proteinase in the degradation of storage protein in germinating barley. The zymogram pattern was examined by SDS-PAGE in the pedigree 'Hokuiku 27'. The results suggest that the activities of low molecular weight cysteine proteinase have a strong influence on the content of soluble nitrogen and Kolbach index in this pedigree.

Key words:
Kolbach index, proteinase activity, soluble nitrogen, zymogram pattern.

Publication no. G-2002-0917-070  ©2002 The Institute & Guild of Brewing