Effects of Wheat Malt-Derived Endo-Β-1, 4-Xylanase Supplementation on The Quality of Wheat Beer

Endo-β-1, 4-xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) is a key enzyme in the degradation of Arabinoxylan (AX). AX and its degradation products are the key substances that affect the viscosity, turbidity, filtration speed, alcohol, foam performance, and health care function of wheat beer. A wheat malt-derived endo-β-1, 4-xylanase was isolated and purified by our group in the previous stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the wheat malt-derived endo-β-1, 4-xylanase addition on the quality and composition of AX in hopped wort and wheat beer. The results showed that the content and the average degree of polymerization (avDP) of water-soluble arabinoxylan (WEAX) in hopped wort and wheat beer decreased with the increase of the addition level of the wheat malt-derived endo-β-1,4-xylanase. When the addition of wheat malt-derived endo-β-1,4-xylanase was 2.5 times of the activity of endo-β-1,4-xylanase in raw malt, the degradation rate of WEAX in hopped wort was the maximum (33.71%), and the avDP of WEAX was the minimum (29.74) at the addition level of the endo-β-1,4-xylanase was 2 times. The viscosity and turbidity of hopped wort and wheat beer decreased continuously with the increase of the addition level of the endo-β-1,4-xylanase, while the foam stability of wheat beer increased continuously. Wheat malt-derived endo-β-1,4-xylanase could decrease the content of 1320-6200 Da polysaccharide in wheat beer, but increase the content of<1320 Da polysaccharide.