Beta-Glucan Content in Caryopses, Malt and Wort of the Selected Spring Barley Varieties

Abstract

Beta-glucan content in caryopses, malt and wort was observed at 10 varieties of Czech, Slovak and German origin. Significant inter-variety differences were found out. The impact of a growing site played an important role too, the impact of a year, however, was irrelevant. At the same time the relationship between β-glucan content and further technological features was examined. β-glucan content in barley caryopsis was influenced by a weight of thousand kernels (TKW) and further by the protein content in a caryopsis. The content of β-glucan in malt was influenced by the content of β-glucan in wort, β-glucanase index and malt friability. The content of β-glucan in wort was influenced by β-glucanase index, friability of malt and Kolbach index value. The method of Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression (Stepwise Selection) was used to choose the parameters influencing in the most significant way β-glucan content.