Production of low-alcoholic and low-gluten beer: physicochemical properties and volatile compounds

Abstract

Abstract Gluten-free products and non-alcoholic beverages have become popular global trends. This study assessed strategies for producing low-alcoholic and low or gluten-free beers. Barley malts were fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomycodes ludwigii, and commercial endopeptidase was used to reduce gluten. S. cerevisiae is the most used yeast in alcoholic beer, so vacuum evaporation was used to reduce values of ethanol. S. ludwigii produces less alcohol, however, there was no data reported it would ferment on a semi-industrial scale. The physiochemical parameters in rice malt beers were similar to both yeasts. However, the parameters found differed for beer with barley malt mainly ethanol values, confirming the fermentative difference by tested strains. Volatile composition was evaluated and analyzed by multivariate analysis. The beers proposed by different methodologies: S. cerevisiae with barley malt, peptidase, and evaporation exhibited aromas of floral and featuring beer and spice notes, among others; S. ludwigii fermentation with barley malt and peptidase showcased aromas rich in floral and fresh accents, among others; and, S. cerevisiae with malted rice exhibited notes evoking fruity notes reminiscent of roses and S. ludwigii using malted rice was associated with aromas featuring fruity attributes and emitting rancid notes, among others. Among all the strategies tested, the one using barley malt, enzyme, and S. cerevisiae proved results in terms of aromatic parameters, even with the final boiling process to remove the alcohol.

Keywords

• Aroma
• New product
• Low-alcoholic and gluten beer
• Non-Saccharomyces
• Biotechnology beverages