Birgit Schnitzenbaumer (1); (1) Döhler, Darmstadt, Germany

IBD Symposium
Tuesday, August 16  •  8:15–11:30 a.m.
Tower Building, Second Level, Grand Ballroom

Around 1% of the world population suffers from coeliac disease; another 6-10% of people are sensitive to gluten and therefore look for gluten-free alternatives. With regard to beer, the most natural way for producing gluten-free products is the use of naturally gluten-free raw materials such as buckwheat, sorghum, rice, or corn. However, the taste of those beers is not comparable to traditional beer brewed with 100% malted barley and/or wheat, which is why they generally have a low consumer acceptance. A special technology, developed and patented by Doehler, makes it now possible to remove virtually all the gluten from traditionally brewed beer without impacting the foam, color, and taste of the final product. Furthermore, this technology for gluten reduction is unique in terms of its GMO-free status; the required enzymes are produced without the use of genetically modified microorganisms. The Doehler technology can be integrated into the classic brewing process without significant modifications and is based on enzyme treatment with subsequent filtration. Transglutaminase is crosslinking glutamyl and lysyl residues of proteins or peptides, which are then removed by filtering the beer.

After successfully qualifying and working as a taxation consultant, Birgit Schnitzenbaumer studied brewing and beverage technology at the Technical University of Munich in Weihenstephan, Germany. She graduated as Dipl.-Ing. (M.Sc.) in Brewing and Beverage Technology in 2009. Birgit was awarded a full doctoral scholarship by the InBev-Baillet Latour Fund and studied her Ph.D. degree on the application of enzymes when brewing with unmalted oats and sorghum at the University College Cork in Ireland. Since July 2014, Birgit works as product manager for Cereal & Malt Ingredients at Döhler in Darmstadt, Germany.