Beer Stability via Enzyme Timing and Boiling Inactivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beer production processes face challenges in achieving stability over prolonged periods due to haze formation, which can resemble microbial spoilage, and residual enzyme activity remains after pasteurization when proline-specific endoprotease and polyphenol oxidase are added after wort boiling.
Innovation Solution
Contacting a proline-specific endoprotease with at least 80% identity to the mature polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a polyphenol oxidase with the mash or wort before boiling, ensuring no residual enzyme activity in the final beer, thereby reducing haze formation during prolonged storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If proline-specific endoprotease and polyphenol oxidase are added to wort after boiling, then haze reduction is achieved, but residual enzyme activity remains in the final beer
Solution Approach 1:
The enzymes are added to the wort before boiling instead of after boiling. This preliminary action allows the enzymes to perform their haze-reducing function during the brewing process, and the subsequent boiling step naturally denatures and inactivates the enzymes, eliminating residual enzyme activity in the final beer product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition and thermal effects of boiling to achieve enzyme inactivation. By heating the wort to boiling temperature, the enzymes undergo denaturation and loss of activity, thereby removing the harmful effect of residual enzyme activity while preserving the beneficial haze-reducing effects already achieved.
2Illumination intensity
If beer is chilled for serving, then clarity is improved initially, but haze forms again after packaging and distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The enzymes are applied early in the brewing process before packaging, performing preliminary haze reduction. This preliminary action modifies the protein-polyphenol interactions in advance, preventing haze formation from occurring later during chilling and storage, thereby achieving long-term stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the normally harmful haze-forming interactions between proteins and polyphenols into a benefit. By using enzymes to modify these interactions during brewing, the same chemical components that would otherwise cause haze are transformed into stable configurations that prevent haze formation, turning a potential defect into a stability advantage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process results in a beer with significantly lower haze values (H90 and H25) after accelerated stability testing, maintaining clarity and stability during storage, with no detectable enzyme activity in the final product, enhancing the beer's shelf life and appearance.
Implementation Method 1
a proline-specific endoprotease which has at least 80% identity to the mature polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2
Implementation Method 2
a polyphenoloxidase are contacted with the mash during preparing of the mash
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for preparing beer comprising the steps of preparing a mash, separating wort from the mash, boiling of the wort, fermenting the wort, and preparing the beer, wherein a proline-specific endoprotease which has at least 80% identity to the mature polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a polyphenoloxidase are contacted with the mash during preparing of the mash and / or with the wort before wort boiling. The invention also relates to a beer which has a H90 value of between 0 and 7, when measured after forcing at 60 degrees Celsius for 6 days and subsequent storage at 0 degrees Celsius for 1 day.