Barley is a key ingredient in beer production. The aim of the current research was to study the dynamics of vitamin C and vitamin E in flaky and hull-less barley grains during steeping, germinating, and kilning. The research was accomplished on hull-less barley (two lines – '3528' and '3537') and flaky barley selected in Latvia in 2009 with a germination capacity above 95%. The grains were steeped, germinated and kilned using traditional malt production technology. During research the vitamin content was analysed using standard methods: vitamin C by EN 14130:2003, and vitamin E by AOAC 971.30. The content of vitamin C increased during steeping in flaky barley grains till 0.23 mg 100 gE-1, but in hull-less barley grains: line '3537' till 0.47 mg 100 gE-1, and line '3528' till 0.30 mg 100 gE-1. During germination vitamin C content in flaky barley increased by 68%, in hull-less barley: line '3528' – by 82%, and line '3537' – by 57%. The content of vitamin C in the analysed malt samples was 0.35-0.38 mg 100 gE-1. The content of vitamin E in all barley samples was similar after grain steeping. The content of vitamin E was 3.9 times higher in flaky barley, but in hull-less barley lines: '3528' – 4.1, and '3537' – 4.5 times higher compared with its initial content after germination. After grain kilning, the content of vitamin E decreased in all barley grain samples. The results show that using some cultivars of hull-less barley for malt production, it is possible to obtain a higher content of vitamins C and E in the end-product.

Growing interest of consumers in healthy eating has provided the development of new range of food. Therefore the task of research was to determine the nutritional value, calculate energy value and investigate the sensory properties of yoghurt samples enriched with flakes from biologically activated hull-less barley grains and malt extract. Results showed that by adding flakes from biologically activated hull-less barley grain and malt extract it was possible to improve the nutritional value of yoghurt, i.e., increased protein, carbohydrate and decreased fat content. The energy value of yoghurt samples enriched with flakes from biologically activated hull-less barley grain and malt extract ranged between 65.96 and 75.72 kcal 100 gE-1, which is significantly lower comparing with mean energy value of commercial yoghurts. The changes of sensory properties were affected by the amount of added malt extract in yoghurt samples. The optimal amount of added malt extract for sensory evaluation in yoghurt samples was determined as 2%. The content of carbohydrate in yoghurt sample enriched with 5% of biologically activated hull-less barley grain and 2% of malt extract was two times lower than commercial yoghurts therefore its energy value was significantly lower. Yoghurt enriched with flakes from biologically activated hull-less barley grain and malt extract could be competitive.

Cereal grains have long been thought to be less important sources of antioxidants than fruits and vegetables although they contain many antioxidants and are major dietary components worldwide. The aim of the current research was to study and compare an antioxidant activity (AOA) and total phenolic content (TPC) of different barley varieties and malt types as well as to evaluate possible interconnection between TPC and AOA of barley and malt samples. The research was carried out on four lines of hull-less barley ‘3528’; ’L-400’; ’3475’; ‘3537’ and one variety of flaky barley ‘Klass’ grains, which were cultivated in Latvia in 2010, and their corresponding malt. Commercial sorts of malt - Pilsener, Munich, Caramel and Dark were used in the research to compare with the malt produced in the laboratory scale. The antioxidant potential of barley and their products is analyzed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. Total phenolic content of barley and malt samples was determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric methods. The values of DPPH radical scavenging activity for 5 barley samples ranged from 4.57 to 5.89 μmol TE gE-1 DW. The total amount of phenols ranged from 1.96 to 2.43 mg GAE gE-1 DW for unprocessed barley samples and from 2.5 to 3.4 mg GAE gE-1 DW for their corresponding malt. TPC of malt commercial sort ranged from 3.5 to 6.7 GAE gE-1 DW. The increase of TPC for commercial malts is strongly related with Maillard reaction products.

Malt is a natural food product produced by germinating cereal grains. Safety of cereal grains and cereal products is a very important area. Experiments were carried out at the Faculty of Food Technology of the Latvia University of Agriculture. The research object was rye malt. The purpose of the research was to investigate and compare the influence of copper and selenium on microbiological indicators of rye malt. Rye grains of 96% viability were soaked and germinated at temperature +6 ± 2 °C for 4 days, using copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate CuS04*5H2 O solutions (Cu concentration 10 mg LE-1, 50 mg LE-1, 100 mg LE-1) and for 3 days using sodium selenate Na2 SeO4 solutions (Se concentration 3 mg LE-1, 5 mg LE-1, 10 mg LE-1) then the soaked grains dried in the oven for 24 hours. The total plate count and yeast colony forming units were determined in rye malt samples. The obtained results showed that the increasing of copper and selenium concentration in solution significantly changes microflora of rye malt comparing with the control sample.

There is growing interest in products without added sugar; thus, sugar consumption is directly related to diabetes and other illnesses such as obesity. A change in the type of sugar and content may therefore both change the perception of sweetness and texture of products. The aim of the research work was to evaluate properties of agar-agar jellies prepared with inulin syrup, galactose syrup and malt extract to replace sugar. Agar gels were prepared to substitute sugar with inulin syrup, galactose syrup and malt extract. Texture of experimental samples was determined by using a Texture Analyser (Model TA.XT Plus; Stable Micro Systems). Colour of jellies was evaluated by using Colour Tec-PCM and Jenway 3510 was used for pH measurements. Obtained results showed that different kinds of sugar containing syrups could be used as sugar substitute for production of a new type jellies. Hardness of the experimental samples is influenced by the sugar type containing syrup. The hardness is determined in the experimental samples by replacement of sugar by increasing concentration of inulin syrup. Decreasing hardness values are observed by increase of added malt extract (maltose) and galactose syrup concentration in samples. The pH values of experimental samples ranged between 3.11 and 4.45. Higher L* value of experimental samples are with galactose syrup. Lightness “L” changed between 20.92 and 18.11 increasing inulin syrup concentration. The same situation can be observed using malt extract as sugar substitute.

The possibility to use cranberry juice for acidification of water in the process of beer making instead of traditionally used acidifiers is researched in this work. The output of mail extract received from cranberry juice with acidity regulator is 21.84%. Physicochemical parameters of mash and beer have been defined. The developed method is recommendable for beer production at small enterprises and in home environment.