Effect of steeping time and temperature on malting process.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydration time and temperature on the malting process in terms of β-glucan degradation and α- and β-amylase enzymes development. During the hydration and germination processes, the germination energy of the rates of degradation and formation of β-glucans and the content of α- and β-amylases were analyzed. Malt was subjected to quantification of protein, sugar, water absorption and solubility rates, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds, according to the AOAC method. Levels of β-glucan decreased with increasing temperature and hydration time. Levels of α- and β-amylases increased from approximately 1.50 to 5.37 and 1.44 to 3.52 Units/hr, respectively. There were significant differences for water absorption rate and protein content between cultivars. The solubility rate increased along the hydration time and temperature. Grains subjected to hydration conditions of 10 °C for 24 hr and 20 °C for 12 hr contained higher total sugar than the other samples. The main component analysis revealed that these samples were the most correlated with the attributes of sugars, β- glucan and α- and β-amylases. Therefore, these conditions are the best treatments to produce malt. Practical applications This paper has practical Application to study degradation of β-glucan and the development and activation of the enzymes α- and β-amylase during the malting process. Optimize the operational variables for obtaining the malt and verity the influence of time and hydration temperature at the enzymes development and the final characteristic of the malt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]