How to determine moisture and protein composition characteristics in Barley
Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is and has been a trusted analytical method in agronomy for years. Many grain quality indicators are routinely measured or researched using NIR. NIR is a highly cost effective testing process, offering an alternative to ongoing expensive, and time consuming, laboratory-based wet chemistry. ASD’s portable and online NIR technology systems can be implemented at numerous points throughout the grain or seed production process where and when analysis is most beneficial.
Proper characterization of grain and seed quality is critically important for germplasm development, grain collection and grain processing. Grain quality can mean different things to different people depending upon the type of grain or seed and its intended use. Quality compositional characteristics of grain, such as moisture and protein, can be successfully measured using quantitative models.
Barley is the most common malted grain within the brewing industry. In malting and brewing, it is essential to estimate the quality and performance potential of barley and malt in process control and in achieving optimal quality of malts and beers. The assessment of barley properties, using NIR spectroscopy, is aimed at quickly selecting the best barley varieties in order to produce a high-quality malt leading to a high-quality beer.
ASD has a webinar recording available on this topic, featuring Keynote Speaker and Barley Development Scientist, Katlyn Hitz, of MillerCoors. On the webinar, Katlyn discusses measuring moisture and protein content of barley using an ASD LabSpec® 4 Standard-Res Lab Analyzer with an ASD Turntable accessory, and shares general considerations for the creation of quantitative NIR models as well as typical applications of malt barley quality analysis.
In her presentation, Katlyn offers an example of how ASD systems can be used to measure moisture and protein content of barley seed which affect malt and brewing quality. Click here to watch the webinar recording, “Measuring Quality Parameters in Malt Barley”!