The Influence of Steeping Water Change during Malting on the Multi-Toxin Content in Malt

• Main Authors: Kristina Habschied, Rudolf Krska, Michael Sulyok, Jasmina Lukinac, Marko Jukić, Bojan Šarkanj, Vinko Krstanović, Krešimir Mastanjević
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-10-01
• Series: Foods
• Subjects: barley malt; <i>fusarium graminearum</i>; malting; multi-toxins; steeping regime
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/8/10/478

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of steeping water change and <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> contamination level on different multi-toxin types and concentrations in barley malt. Malt samples were subjected to two micromalting regimes&#8212;steeping water change and the other with no steeping water change. Malt was contaminated with different <i>F. graminearum</i> contamination levels (0%, 10%, and 20%). The results indicate that malt with higher <i>F. graminearum</i> contamination levels ensured higher concentrations of toxins. Higher fungal metabolite concentrations were determined in samples exposed to freshly-changed steeping water, especially zearalenone and its derivates whose values were three to four times higher than in samples with no water change. Zearalenone-4-sulfate showed four (in 10% contamination) and even thirty times (in 20% contamination) higher concentrations than in samples with no water change. Water change during malting resulted in higher levels of multi-toxins in the final product.