A review of biotransformation of sulfur compounds in beer brewing

Abstract

A large number of polyfunctional mercaptan precursors are found in hops and malt, which are not smelled by the nose, and these substances are not fully utilized in the beer production process, and much of the research on these sulfur-containing compounds has been to further explore how to improve the expression of multifunctional thiol in beer. Three effective thiols are known to contribute significantly to the tropical flavor of wine and beer, notably 3-mercaptohexyl alcohol (3MH), 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA), and 4-methyl-4-thiopentan-2-one (4MMP). With the increasing demand for floral and tropical fruit aromas in beer in recent years, a comprehensive understanding is needed to manipulate the mechanisms by which these aromatic merthiols are expressed in beer. In this paper, the recent understanding of the release of polyfunctional thiol in beer is summarized, which provides the direction for future experimental research and will contribute to further understanding of the biological transformation of hop aroma.