Influence of barley variety and growing locality on the profile of flavonoid polyphenols in malt

Abstract

Some polyphenol substances are important for beer production as well as for the health benefits of beer consumption. Hop polyphenols have been relatively well researched in the last decade, less attention has been paid to malt. Our study was aimed to determine the influence of the barley variety and growing locality on the profile of proanthocyanidins (PAC), monomeric flavanols, flavonols and their glycosides in malt. Laboratory malts from three barley cultivars grown in seven countries of the European Union were analyzed by the developed LC-HR / MS method with sample preparation by the QuEChERS technique. Dimers of (epi)catechin (37.0%) and dimers (epi)catechin – (epi) gallocatechin (36.4%) dominate the PAC profile of malt, monomer content being low. Flavanols (epi)catechin and (epi)catechin-O-glucoside have been identified and quantified in malts. The flavonols were quercetin and myricetin, their glycosides were not detected. The results suggest varietal dependence of the PAC, monomeric flavanols and flavonols profile and the lesser impact of the growing locality.