The influence of barley weed impurities on the microbiological quality indicators

Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251, St. Petersburg, Russia

^* Corresponding author: Makarovayulia169@mail.ru

Abstract

Currently, malting barley is one of the most important crops that form the basis of the food business in the Russian Federation. Malting barley is imported to Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. While storing and transporting grain, its microbiological quality indicators play a very important role. Grain seeded with various microorganisms quickly loses its functional and technological properties, which negatively affects the quality of beer produced from it. According to the results of the studies, it was found that the contamination of barley with microorganisms is greatly influenced by various impurities that enter the grain mass during harvest. As well as various impurities in the grain mass of malting barley, the grains of other plants wheat, rye and oats were found in some samples in quantity of about 4%. There were also a lot of beaten barley grains, in some samples more than 2%. The moisture content of the grain mass also affects the seeding by microorganisms. Impurities had a higher humidity than grain, purified from impurities. To reduce the microbial contamination of brewing barley grains, it is necessary to thoroughly clean and refine the grain mass immediately after harvesting.