VIEW ARTICLE    DOI: 10.1094/ASBCJ-51-0152

Application of Mineral Oil to Barley for Dust Control: Analysis of Malt, Spent Grains, and Wort for Residues. Paul B. Schwarz and John M. Barr, Department of Cereal Science and Food Technology, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 51:0152, 1993.

Mineral oil was applied to barley as a dust suppressant at a level of 200 ppm. Treated and untreated control samples of barley were malted, and the resultant malts were mashed. Extracts prepared from the control and treated samples of barley, malt, spent grains, and wort were analyzed for total hydrocarbons. Significant differences (P < 0.01) in the level of total hydrocarbons were detected between control and treated samples of barley, malt, and spent grains, indicating the presence of mineral oil on treated samples. Mineral oil was estimated as the difference in mean hydrocarbon content between treated and control samples. Approximately 70% of the mineral oil present on the treated barley appeared to be lost after the preparation of malt. It is proposed that the mineral oil is lost during steeping or cleaning of the finished malt. Over 90% of the mineral oil present on treated malts was recovered with the spent grains after mashing. No differences in total hydrocarbon content were detected between worts prepared from treated and control samples. This suggests that mineral oil was not extracted into the wort during mashing or was present at levels undetectable in the current study.

Keywords: Barley, Grain dust, Hydrocarbons, Malt, Mineral oil, Spent grains