O-19
Beta-linked carbohydrate in beer
Presenter: Samuel C. Gambill, University of California, Davis, CA
Co-Author: C.W. Bamforth, University of California, Davis, CA

Brewers have long been concerned with the beta-glucans of barley and the severe problems that they can cause during processing and in the final product. It is time that they recognized that such molecules may present advantages insofar as their presence in beer may be one of the reasons why moderate consumption of this beverage has benefits to the body. High molecular weight beta-glucan from barley is probably the equal of that from oat, which has long been championed as a source of soluble fiber. Accepting that brewers would err on the side of caution by not allowing such viscous materials to survive the process, it should be stressed, however, that lower molecular weight, non-viscous, beta-glucan degradation products are also probably beneficial components from a health perspective. They constitute prebiotics, viz. substances that serve as substrates for the growth of beneficial gut microflora. This paper compares beers for their content of high and low molecular weight beta-glucans, employing a range of techniques, including high-performance liquid chromatography and specific enzyme-based assays.

Sam Gambill, an MS candidate at UC Davis, majored in molecular genetics at Ohio State University, graduating in 2003. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1980. He has internship experience at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base and with the Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, CA.