Effect of Anaerobic Treatment on Carbohydrate-Hydrolytic Enzyme Activities and Free Amino Acid Contents in Barley Malt

Effects of acute anoxia on carbohydrate hydrolytic enzyme activities and free amino acid contents in malt were examined. Malts were prepared with barley grains germinated for 7 days which contained the highest levels of amylolytic and(1-3,1-4)--glucanase activities. -Amylase and -amylase activities in malts were not significantly affected by anoxia for 5 or 10 h.(1-3,1-4)--Glucanase activity, however, decreased about 7 to 10% by anoxia for 5 or 10 h. Alanine and -aminobutyric acid content changed drastically. Alanine contents in malts increased by 2.2- and 2-fold, and -aminobutyric acid contents by 1.4- and 1.9-fold under anoxia for 5 and 10 h, respectively.