Impact of Genotype, Environment, and Malting Conditions on the Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content in US Malting Barley

Abstract

The phenolic content and antioxidant potential of malting barley are important in brewing. The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of barley genotype, growing environment, and malting conditions on the total phenolic content and antioxidant activities of malting barley grown in North America. Eight barley cultivars grown at three locations over three years were used. For the malting study, a single barley cultivar, separated into different kernel size fractions, was germinated for various periods of time and then processed by kilning or freeze-drying. Total phenolic content (TPC) and some of the antioxidant activities, including DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities, reducing power, and iron (II) chelating activity, were significantly impacted by the barley genotype, growth environment, and their interactions. The TPC and most antioxidant activities were also influenced by malting conditions and were generally higher in the malted barleys of the thin kernel size fraction, four-day germination, and in samples processed by kilning, when compared to the plumper kernel size fractions, one and two days of germination, and freeze-dried samples, respectively. There were interactions between malting parameters, and stepwise regression analysis was used to suggest the contribution of each parameter to the TPC and antioxidant activities.