The relative effectiveness of two filter aids in removing ochratoxin A during beer filtration

Abstract

Mycotoxins originate from fungal contamination of barley (and other cereals) and can be found at low levels in beer. Filtration is an effective way to remove mycotoxins. This workat a laboratory scaleassesses the effectiveness of a commercial filter aid in the removal of mycotoxins in beer. Kieselguhr (Celite 577) and rice hull ash (Pattern II type), an emerging alternative filter aid to DE, were evaluated for the removal of ochratoxin A during beer filtration. The adsorption isotherm was conducted for the filter aids adsorptive capacity against ochratoxin A (100 μg/mL). Residual ochratoxin A in beer was analysed using an immunoaffinity column and high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that rice hull ash (72%) was more effective in the removal of ochratoxin A in beer than Celite 577 (38%). Adsorption was the major form of ochratoxin A removal using rice hull ash, whereas with Celite 577 it was entrapment.

Reduction of aflatoxins during brewing of a Malawian maize‐based non‐alcoholic beverage, thobwa

“…In general, brewing of alcoholic or non‐alcoholic beverages may involve malting, milling, mashing, lautering, wort boiling, wort cooling and fermentation followed by aging (lagering) and filtering (finishing) (Catarino & Mendes, 2011 ; Eblinger & Narzib, 2012 ; Embashu & Nantanga, 2019 ). Some of these brewing steps have been found to significantly reduce mycotoxin levels (Ezekiel et al, 2018 ; Lulamba et al, 2019a ; Pascari et al, 2018 ). However, there is paucity of information on the effect of the traditional brewing steps, used in the production of thobwa, on the on the reduction aflatoxin content in thobwa .…”