Water availability significantly affects the mechanism through which grain is converted into malt. High moisture content enhances enzyme production and shoot emergence. To examine this effect on rice malt, rice grains were soaked for different periods with the aim of establishing the optimum that significantly affects the final malt quality. The out-of-steep moisture content (SMC), steeping loss, germination energy, shoot length and the diastatic activity of the malt were evaluated.Statistical Analysis indicated that steeping period correlates positively with rate of water uptake (r = +0.84) and steeping losses (r = +0.97). Germination energy was dependent on steeping period with 48-h (35% SMC) and 72-h treatment (36% SMC) recording the highest energies of 91 and 96%, respectively. 48-h steep grains produced the highest mean shoot length of 4.34 cm and diastatic activity (667.81 U/g). Soaking rice grains for 48 h during malting significantly improves its total hydrolytic power to ensure higher convention of starches into fermentable sugars.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSMalting of cereal grains other than barley has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. The reason has been the need to find suitable alternative to imported barley. Improving the malting qualities of rice malt will thus enhance its potential and usage in brewing and sugar syrup industries especially in the 3 Corresponding tropics. This current finding reveals that soaking rice grains for 48 h facilitate water uptake, which is essential for maximum production of diastase required for higher conversion of starch into simple sugars. Brewing and other related industries can therefore make use of rice malt in many product developments. In this regard, value will be added to local rice and other cereals thereby creating ready market and improving the country's economy at large.
82E. OWUSU-MENSAH, I. ODURO and K.J. SARFO