A MICROBIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF BARLEY MALT PRODUCTION

Abstract

The development of the microflora of barley malt was examined by direct and dilution plating. At all stages of the malting process mesophilic bacteria predominated. Viable counts of bacteria on green malt were 85–600 times greater than on the original barley, but fell to less than one-half of the original level with kilning. Corresponding increases in yeast and, especially, mould counts during malting were smaller. The yeast-like mould Geotrichum candidum was prominent in green malt. Although counts of yeasts and most moulds were considerably reduced by kilning, Mucor spp. proliferated during kilning.