Enzymatically Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein in Brewing Fermentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Natural and seasonal crop variation in amino acid and protein composition of barley malt and adjuncts affects brewing yeast nutrition and fermentation performance, leading to issues with diacetyl formation and beer foam quality, and existing solutions like genetically modified yeast or additives increase costs and may have adverse effects.
Innovation Solution
The use of enzymatically hydrolyzed vegetable protein, derived from sources like corn, rice, and peas, is added to the fermentation medium to provide a balanced amino acid profile, enhancing yeast nutrition and foam quality, and reducing fermentation time by shortening vicinal diketone reduction time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If genetically modified yeast strains are used to reduce diacetyl formation, then diacetyl levels are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance - a protein hydrolysate derived from vegetable sources (soybean, pea, or corn) - that mediates between the malt/adjunct amino acid supply and yeast nutritional requirements. This hydrolysate serves as a bridging nutrient source that provides essential amino acids without requiring genetic modification of the yeast strain, thus resolving the contradiction by avoiding the complexity of GM yeast while still achieving reliable diacetyl control through improved yeast nutrition.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjuncts are used to replace malt, then production flexibility is improved, but amino acid composition becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-hydrolyzing the vegetable protein source into a protein hydrolysate before incorporating it into the brewing process. This preliminary enzymatic breakdown transforms the complex protein structure into a more bioavailable form with released amino acids, ensuring that the amino nitrogen content is sufficiently high and readily available for yeast nutrition, thus maintaining adaptability while compensating for the amino acid deficiencies of adjuncts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of protein availability by transforming intact vegetable proteins into hydrolyzed protein forms with different chemical properties. This parameter change increases the bioavailability and absorbability of amino acids by the yeast, effectively compensating for the lower amino nitrogen content in adjuncts and maintaining the nutritional sufficiency needed for successful fermentation while preserving production flexibility.
3Reliability
If diacetyl-rest is extended to control diacetyl levels, then diacetyl quality is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing enhanced amino acid nutrition to the yeast during the active fermentation phase through the protein hydrolysate. This preliminary nutritional support enables the yeast to efficiently manage diacetyl formation and reduction without requiring extended rest periods, thus achieving reliable diacetyl control while maintaining high productivity and cellar efficiency by accelerating the overall fermentation process.
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
This approach improves yeast nutrition, enhances beer foam stability, and accelerates fermentation, reducing the time required to achieve acceptable diacetyl levels without negatively impacting beer quality or increasing costs.
Implementation Method 1
enzymatically hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Implementation Method 2
fermenting the fermentable medium to form a fermented beverage
Implementation Method 3
enzymatically hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention provides methods to reduce fermentation time of the cereal based fermented beverages such as beer, increasing the cellar output as well as enhancing yeast nutrition and beer foam quality. An enzymatically hydrolyzed vegetable protein such as corn gluten meal which supplies a balanced combination of foam enhancing proteins and free amino acids of high nutritional value for yeast is added to the materials to be fermented.