Effects of silica gel on reduction in gluten during several beer brewing stages

Abstract

Beer is an alcoholic beverage made with barley as a basic raw material, and therefore, it is not suitable for people with coeliac disease. During the brewing process, the elimination of the haze-active precursor is performed at the stabilisation stage. Some breweries use silica gel (SG) as stabilisation precursor. This work presents the studies conducted to identify the stage where the addition of SG is more convenient in

order to reduce gluten, and the effect on the yeast nutritional value due its incorporation. The incorpora- tion of SG during fermentation allows the reduction in more gluten than the others brewery stages stud- ied, without changing significantly the yeast nutritional value of beer. Furthermore, the use of SG

promotes the reduction in polysaccharides which obstruct filtration.