Occurrence of cytochalasin E in malting barley and malt in the Czech Republic using the QuEChERS-UPLC-MS/MS method

Global industrialization could be considered as a major cause of environmental contamination with heavy metals. Barley and malt, vastly used in the food industries, are of no exception. Therefore, we aimed to measure the levels of trace elements Zinc, Copper and heavy metals Lead and Cadmium by Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry in 19 barley grain cultivars and their malts in Iran. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay was also used for determination of antioxidant activity of the samples. The mean levels of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu were measured to be 18.813 ± 8.575, 0.212 ± 0.116, 0.278 ± 0.163, 3.746 ± 1.118 mg/100g in the barley samples and 14.364 ± 6.391, 0.153 ± 0.098, 0.179 ± 0.082 and 3.033 ± 1.392 mg/100g in the malt samples, respectively. The highest concentration of Zn was measured in the Bahman cultivar of barley and Mb-82-4 sample of malt while the Sahra cultivar of barley and Valfajr sample of malt had the lowest concentration of Pb and the Nimrooz cultivar of barley and Rihane-03 sample of malt had the lowest concentration Cu. The mean levels of zinc and lead in the evaluated samples of barley and the mean levels of zinc, lead and cadmium in the samples of malt were significantly lower than standard limits. Although not significant, the mean levels of cadmium in barley samples and copper in malt samples were higher than the standard limits, but the mean level of copper was found to be significantly higher than the standard limits in the samples of barley (p = 0.008). Antioxidant acitivity was found to be highest in the Mb-82-12 sample of malt and Nik cultivar of barley. The average antioxidant activity was found to be significantly higher in the malt compared to barley grain; 1.584 ± 0.596 mg/kg vs. 0.633 ± 0.221 mg/kg (p < 0.001). The mean level of copper in barley samples was significantly higher than the standard limit that needs further investigations to be controlled.

Determination of seventeen mycotoxins in barley and malt in the Czech Republic

Profiling the volatile carbonyl compounds of barley and malt samples using a low-pressure assisted extraction system

Levels of T-2 toxin and its metabolites, and the occurrence of Fusarium fungi in spring barley in the Czech Republic

The presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) was investigated in barley, malt and beer samples using an ELISA method (RIDASCREEN). The lower detection limit of this OTA test was 0.08 μg/L for beer and 0.4 pg/kg for barley and malt. In 26 out of 29 barley samples the OTA content was between 0.53-12 pg/kg. OTA was between 0.5-6.6 pg/kg in 23 out of 24 malt samples. Only one malt sample had no detectable OTA using RIDASCREEN. The OTA content was between 0.1-8.10 pg/L in 42 out of 150 beer samples (28%) and in 108 beer samples OTA was not found at detectable levels (72%). Only one beer sample contained more than 5 pg/L OTA.

Due to the published effects of heavy fungal contamination on malt quality, Southern Associated Maltsters determined the incidence and nature of fungal contamination in South African barley and malt. The nature and extent of fungal contamination during harvest intake, storage, and throughout the malting process were investigated for local crops and compared to barley and malt samples from other countries. Field fungi were determined during harvest intake on surface-sterilized barley samples collected over six consecutive harvest years. Alternaria spp. were the most prevalent fungi detected during harvest intake. The results on harvest samples were in agreement with those from samples from other countries. Global climatic conditions appeared to play an important part in the contamination level by field fungi. Average fungal counts in South African barley and malt were found to be appreciably lower than those found on barleys and malts from other countries. Information on the incidence of storage fungi was obtained from the fungal analysis of barley samples delivered to the maltings over three separate years and then stored for a further nine-month period. The expected decrease in the field fungi occurred with a concomitant increase in the numbers of common storage fungi (Aspergillus spp.). The effect of the malting process on fungal species and total counts was also evaluated over a period of five years. Fungi on the South African barley behaved similarly during the malting process to fungi from barleys from other countries. The exceptions were that Cladosporium spp. increased after kilning to the same level found in the original harvest barley and numbers of Fusarium spp. reached their maxima earlier in the process in the South African samples than in samples from other parts of the world.

Chemical protection personnel need to wear closed clothing to work in harsh environment. Continuous sweating and outward heat dissipation will lead to high temperature and high humidity inside the chemical protection clothing, which will increase the physical load of chemical protection personnel. In the environment of high temperature and humidity for a long time, the thermoregulation function of chemical prevention personnel is easy to be maladjusted, such as heat stroke, heat spasm, heat failure, etc., which will lead to vague consciousness and even shock. Therefore, accurate monitoring and evaluation of the physical load of chemical protection personnel in high temperature and humidity environment is very important to optimize the operation process and ensure the safety of workers. Firstly, the temperature and humidity of the environment were controlled by simulation experiment, and the core temperature, surface skin temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen, sweating amount and sweat evaporation amount were measured when the chemical protection personnel were wearing chemical protective clothing. The change rules of each index were studied by using statistical analysis method, and the sensitive physical load evaluation index was revealed. Then, the weight coefficient of each index is calculated based on factor analysis method to simplify the independent variable factors of physical load evaluation model. Finally, the regression model of physical load was constructed by combining subjective feelings and physiological indexes. Sixteen healthy men aged 19–25 years participated in the test. The environment temperature and humidity were divided into normal temperature and humidity (23 ℃, 45%), low temperature and high humidity (10 ℃, 70%) and high temperature and humidity (35 ℃ and 60%). The core temperature was measured by anus and Cor-temp capsule temperature sensor. The results showed that the core temperature of chemical prevention personnel in normal temperature and humidity environment was relatively stable, while the core temperature in low temperature and high humidity, normal temperature and high humidity environment increased by 0.74 ℃, 1.03 ℃ and 2 ℃ respectively. There was significant difference in the core temperature of chemical prevention personnel under different temperature and humidity environment (P < 0.05), which proved that the core temperature can be used as a sensitive index to evaluate physical load. The surface skin temperature of shoulder, chest, arm, waist, neck, hand, thigh and lower leg was measured by temperature inspection instrument. The results showed that the surface skin temperature of chemical protection personnel in high temperature and humidity environment increased significantly (up to 39 ℃). There were significant differences in the skin temperature of chemical protection personnel under different temperature and humidity conditions (P < 0.05), indicating that the surface skin temperature can be used as a sensitive index to evaluate physical load. The heart rate data were measured using the ECG band developed by polar team. The results showed that the heart rate of the chemical protection personnel wearing protective clothing was the fastest (up to 180 bpm) in high temperature and humidity environment. There was significant difference in heart rate under different temperature and humidity (P < 0.05), which proved that heart rate can be used as a sensitive index to evaluate physical load. The blood oxygen saturation was measured by finger cuff sensor. The results showed that the oxygen saturation of the chemical protection personnel in the normal temperature and humidity environment was 95%, and the oxygen saturation of the chemical protection personnel wearing protective clothing in the low temperature and high humidity environment, the normal temperature and normal humidity environment and the high temperature and high humidity environment decreased gradually, which were 94%, 93% and 91%, respectively. There was significant difference in blood oxygen saturation among chemical workers under different temperature and humidity (P < 0.05), which proved that blood oxygen saturation could be used as a sensitive index to evaluate physical load. The results showed that the amount of sweat and evaporation increased with the increase of ambient temperature. The average sweating amount was 1.25 kg, accounting for 1.6% of body weight, which reached the limit of human sweating capacity. There were significant differences in the amount of sweat and the amount of sweat evaporation in different temperature and humidity environment (P < 0.05), which proved that the amount of sweat and the amount of sweat evaporation can be used as a sensitive index to evaluate the physical load. The weight coefficient obtained by factor analysis showed that the temperature index was the most important indexes in the evaluation of physical load in high temperature and humidity environment. There are two key factors, core temperature and heart rate, in the stepwise regression equation of physical load established between subjective feelings and sensitive indicators. The fitting degree of the model is as high as 0.917 under the hypothesis test of homogeneity of variance.KeywordsChemical protection personnelPhysical loadEvaluation indexHigh temperature environmentHigh humidity environment

This study aimed to characterize and identify Fusarium fungi associated with barley malt samples showing gushing activity in quality control. The study included six different barley samples from different geographic locations in Europe. Barleys were malted in specially designed, computer-controlled micromalting equipment. Fungal contamination was determined with various polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays including real-time PCR with group and species-specific primers, fungal profiling with PCR with denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and PCR with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, samples were tested for the presence of hydrophobins. Alternaria, Cochliobolus, and Fusarium were the dominant fungal genera in the barley samples. Two malt samples induced vigorous gushing in beer and in mineral water. Relatively high F. culmorum levels were determined in these malt samples. F. graminearum, F. poae, and F. tricinctum were also detected in gushing-active samples. The production of gushing inducers during malting by F. culmorum, F. graminearum, and F. tricinctum was verified by artificial contamination of barley. All strains multiplied in malting conditions and produced hydrophobins. However, differences were observed between isolates of the same species from different origins. This study showed that F. culmorum, F. graminearum, and F. tricinctum are associated with elevated gushing risk.

Incidence of Deoxynivalenol in Serbian Wheat and Barley

The impact of using different combinations of unmalted barley, Ondea Pro® and barley malt in conjunction with a 35% rice adjunct on mashing performance was examined in a series of small scale mashing trials. The objective was to identify the potential optimal levels and boundaries for the mashing combinations of barley, Ondea Pro®, malt and 35% rice (BOMR) that might apply in commercial brewing. Barley and malt samples used for the trials were selected from a range of Australian commercial barley and malt samples following evaluation by small-scale mashing. This investigation builds on previous studies in order to adapt the technology to brewing styles common in Asia, where the use of high levels of rice adjunct is common. Mashing with the rice adjunct, combined with differing proportions of barley, Ondea Pro® and malt, resulted in higher extract levels than were observed for reference mashing, using either 100% malt reference or 100% barley reference and Ondea Pro® enzymes. Synergistic mashing effects between barley, Ondea Pro® and malt were observed for mash quality and efficiency parameters, particularly wort fermentability. The optimum levels of barley in the grist (with the relative level of Ondea Pro®) were assessed to be in the range 45–55% when paired with 10–20% malt and 35% rice. When the proportion of malt was reduced below 10% of the grist, substantial reductions in wort quality were observed for wort quality parameters including extract, lautering, fermentability, free amino nitrogen and haze. Extension of this new approach to brewing with rice adjuncts will benefit from further research into barley varietal selection in order to better meet brewer's quality requirements for the finished beer. Copyright © 2016 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

In this study, the role of germination times and malt production preliminary stages on the bioactive and phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of barley grains was investigated. Antioxidant activity values of barley, soaked barley and dried barley have been reported between 5.00 mmol/kg (barley) and 6.65 mmol/kg (sokaed barley). The total phenol and flavonoid quantities of the barley, soaked barley and dried barley samples were recorded to be between 58.49 (dried barley) and 69.10 mgGAE/100 g (soaked barley) to 145.22 (dried barley) and 157.75 mgQE/100 g (soaked barley), respectively. The total phenol content of green malt and dried-roasted malt were recorded to be between 115.85 (3rd day) and 237.80 mgGAE/100 g (7th day) to 111.83 (3rd day) and 346.04 mg GAE/100 g (7th day), respectively. While catechin amounts of barley samples are registrated between 5.83 (dried barley) and 10.29 mg/100 g (soaked barley), catechin amounts of green and dried-roasted malt samples were identified between 5.20 (malt for 3rd day) and 56.42 mg/100 g (malt for 7th day). In general, an increase in the phenolic components of green and dried-roasted malt samples was observed with germination.

Eleven barley landraces (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown under the same climatic and soil conditions according to the same organic protocol and corresponding malt samples were considered in this study. In order to assess the modification induced by the mashing process on barley samples cultivated under the same conditions, the enzymatic activity of alpha and beta-amylase was determined in all samples. In addition, the modification induced by the germination process on the protein pattern was also investigated by SDS–PAGE. Barley samples resulted different both in protein content and in amylase quality and quantity; these differences, evidently related to genetic factors, also were found in malt samples. Although two bands at 41–42 kDa and 55–58 kDa were found in the Betamyl extracts analysed by SDS–PAGE, only the 55–58 kDa had discriminating ability, and for this reason, it could be considered in order to evaluate barley suitability for beer production.

The objective of this two-year study was primarily the evaluation of the free and the bound forms of phenolic acids and phenolic aldehydes (PAAs) in grains of four selected cultivars of spring durum wheat subjected to three treatment intensities (GD—Green Deal, BT—Basic and IT—Intensive). All treatments included a common basic level and different spring production levels of nitrogen fertilisation (0 kg N in the case of GD; 30 kg N in the case of BT; and 60 kg N in the case of IT). Pesticide applications included herbicides and insecticides in both the BT and IT treatments, which were supplemented by combinations of fungicide and morphoregulator in the IT treatment. The GD treatment included only basic nitrogen, herbicide protection, and the application of a biostimulator (ExelGrow). The spring durum wheat cultivars subjected to testing were cultivated under Central European conditions, specifically in the Czech Republic’s central Bohemian region. UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS was used for the detection and accurate quantification of PAAs. In parallel, 12 other nutritional and basic technological parameters of the cereal were evaluated. Nine bound and seven free forms of PAAs were quantified in the analysed cereal samples. Bound forms of PAAs were dominant, accounting for 99.4% of total PAAs. Considering single PAAs, ferulic acid was the most abundant, accounting for 87% of the total bound PAAs. Interestingly, year and treatment intensity were the key factors in the variability of both free and bound PAAs, but these factors had different effects on bound PAAs. Under low nitrogen conditions, plants responded with an increase in free PAAs in particular, as well as in three bound PAAs. Unfavourable weather conditions, combined with the presence of biotic factors (e.g., Fusarium infections), significantly influenced the increase in both PAA groups, with the exception of free p-coumaric acid. PCA analysis confirmed close relationships between PAAs within both categories (free and bound). Subsequent correlation analysis further revealed that the immunoreactive gluten component (G12) exhibited a high negative correlation with the dominant ferulic acid (r = −0.70) and sinapic acid (r = −0.68). Additionally, moderate negative correlations were observed between four bound phenolic acids and grain hardness (r = −0.48–−0.60).

This study is focused on distribution of the spider Brigittea civica (Lucas, 1850). It is probably a non‑native species in the Czech Republic, which occurs synanthropically in central European conditions. It is well adapted to coexistence with humans, and since there is no natural enemy, it may freely redistribute. The aim of this study was to supplement the knowledge of distribution of this species in South Moravia. The present occurrence data were recorded from a total of 92 towns and villages via observing typical cobwebs. In 86 cases, the incidence was observed, in only six cases, there was not found even a single cobweb of the spider. Based on our records, we can suggest that B. civica is much more common than was previously mapped and the presence of this species in the Czech Republic was underestimated.

The black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), an introduced species into the Czech Republic, is planted for its production of valuable timber. A systematic study of the black walnut growth rate at different localities and consequently the creation of standard volume tables under Central European conditions therefore appear to be of high relevance. The aim of our study was to reveal the black walnut growth pattern in its pure stands in two riparian forests along the Morava and Svratka River (Str&amp;aacute;žnice locality and Židlochovice locality, respectively). To describe and to compare relationships among diameter at breast height (dbh), tree height and age, we used a forest management plan and measured 573 and 670 trees in pure sample stands at Str&amp;aacute;žnice and Židlochovice, respectively. We found out that the measured mean DBH and mean height were consistently higher in Str&amp;aacute;žnice, however the relationships of DBH to height, age to DBH, and age to height showed the same pattern at both localities. The mean heights of trees were 16.3, 24.1, 28.7, 31.9, and 34.5 m in 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 year age classes and were consistently taller in comparison with other, mainly European, regions. Therefore our results suggest the high potential of black walnut in timber production in riparian forests in the Czech Republic, mainly in the South Moravian region.