T. Smith (1), B. TAUBMAN (1); (1) Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, U.S.A.

Regulations and Guidelines
Wednesday, June 4 - 1:00 p.m.-2:45 p.m.
Level 4, Red Lacquer Ballroom

Gluten-free beers are becoming increasingly popular as more people are being diagnosed with gluten allergies and participating in gluten-free diets for other health reasons. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a new rule in August 2013 requiring that foods or beverages labeled as “gluten-free” contain less than 20 ppm gluten, thereby making it safer for coeliac patients to consume them. The rule also requires that foods or beverages labeled with “no gluten,” “free of gluten,” and “without gluten” meet the definition for “gluten-free.” Gluten-free beers can be made with cereals such as rice or sorghum, which do not contain sufficient concentrations of gluten to trigger autoimmune responses in coeliac patients, or by introducing proteases to break down the prolamin proteins from barley and wheat during fermentation. For this study, the RIDASCREEN gliadin competitive enzyme immunoassay was used for the analysis of multiple varieties of commercially available beers, including a light lager, IPA, wheat beer, “gluten-free” red lager made with sorghum, “gluten-free” blonde ale made with sorghum, and “gluten-free” pale ale made with barley in which the gluten was degraded during fermentation. Results for the “regular” beers ranged from 72 ppm to >135 ppm gluten, while the “gluten-free” beers ranged from <5 ppm to 13 ppm gluten. Four ferments were undertaken in the lab, including two sorghum ferments, one with an enzyme cocktail introduced during mash, and one with no enzyme added; and two barley ferments, one that was coarsely ground and one that was finely ground. These four ferments had gluten concentrations of 19.88, 17.86, 25.46, and 211.8 ppm, respectively. Beers brewed with a variety of gluten-free cereal grains and with gluten-containing grains that have been enzymatically degraded will be analyzed by a sensory panel to identify their specific flavor and aroma characteristics, as well as the overall favorability of each beer.

Brett Taubman is a faculty member of the A. R. Smith Department of Chemistry at Appalachian State University (ASU), where he is engaged in instruction and academic research within the chemistry and fermentation sciences. He has earned B.S. degrees in both finance and chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University and Montana State University, respectively, and a Ph.D. degree in analytical and environmental chemistry from the University of Maryland (2004). Following his graduate studies, he worked as a post-doctoral research associate at the Pennsylvania State University before joining the chemistry faculty at ASU in 2007. Brett has successfully developed a pilot instructional brewing facility on the ASU campus and currently serves as president of Ivory Tower, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with the mission of supporting research and education within the fermentation sciences. He helped to develop the four-year degree program in fermentation sciences and shares time between that program and the Chemistry Department. He has been brewing and teaching brewing sciences and technology for more than 10 years and is a member of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, Master Brewers Association of the Americas, and Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

View Presentation

Purchase and login is required to access presentations. Purchase access to the Proceedings.