ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To study enhanced barley germination by chitooligosaccharide as an elicitor for improving the quality of malt. RESULTS: Barley germination for both radical and leaf sprouts was enhanced when chitooligosaccharide was added to the steeping water in the first steeping cycle. The activities of hydrolases (α-/ß-amylase, proteinase and ß-glucanase) and antioxidases (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in the resultant malt were increased in a dose-dependent manner when chitooligosaccharide was supplemented in the steeping water. Maximal promotion was at 1 mg chitooligosaccharide/l for α-/ß-amylase and proteinase, and at 10 mg/l for ß-glucanase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. Malt quality, including free α-amino nitrogen content, Kolbach index, malt extract content, diastatic power, wort viscosity and the ratio of glucose, maltose and maltotriose, was significantly improved by chitooligosaccharide in seed priming at 1 mg/l. CONCLUSION: Application of chitooligosaccharide in the steeping water promotes barley germination and improves the quality of malt.
