Several metabolic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) serve special functions, which directly or indirectly have impact on processes such as improved quality and safety and flavour development in the malting and brewing industry. LAB are widely distributed in nature and in spontaneous fermentations, often they are found to be the dominating microflora resulting in both the inhibition of spoilage bacteria and organisms. This review describes the applications of LAB in malting and brewing. Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxic secondary metabolites of fungi that may be present in cereals. Several of these mycotoxins have been associated with human and animal diseases and are known to survive the brewing process. LAB have been shown to restrict the growth of the most important toxigenic fungi thereby reducing the formation of these harmful toxins. The occurrence of mycotoxins in cereals is discussed and their effect in beer is reviewed. The main features of this review are: (I) LAB starter cultures in malting and brewing (II) production of acid malt; (III) biological acidification of mash and wort in brewing; (IV) bacteriocins produced by LAB in brewing; (V) LAB and antifungal activity; (VI) mycotoxins in cereals.

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In this study four strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were chosen to bioacidify a mash containing 50% barley and 50% malt. The strains were isolated from malted and unmalted barley and assayed for extracellular enzymatic activities (proteases, amylases, ␤-glucanases). The biologically acidified mash was compared to a chemically acidified mash, 100% malt mash unacidified and 50% malt and 50% barley mash unacidified. Characteristics such as pH, extract, colour, viscosity, total soluble nitrogen (TSN), free amino nitrogen (FAN), apparent fermentability, ␤-glucan and lautering performance of the resultant worts were determined. A model lautering system replicating one used in a brewery was designed and built in University College Cork (UCC) to measure the lautering performance of the bioacidified mashes. The new system was compared to the filtration method used in EBC method 4.5.1. Overall the addition of LAB to bioacidify a mash of 50% barley and 50% malt resulted in faster filtration times, which correlated with decreased ␤-glucan levels. Proteolytic LAB had a positive influence on the quality of wort and resulted in increased FAN levels. Lighter colour worts were observed along with increased extract levels.