Improvement of malt quality and safety by adding starter culture during the malting process

There are two main processes involved in the production of malt: germination of barley and spontaneous fermentation. The fermentation process, which is the growth of the microflora present in barley during malting and also in the malting house, can affect malt properties significantly in different ways. Starter culture of Geotrichum candidum, a yeast traditionally used in the food industry for its various beneficial properties and naturally found in the malting process, was investigated on an industrial scale. The addition of selected Geotrichum candidum strains in steeping water inhibit the growth of undesirable moulds and the production of mycotoxins. Furthermore, they allow better control of the malting process, and improve malt quality and regularity. The organoleptic results of the starter beers have been excellent. The starter culture in malting is a new process that improves malt quality and safety, and which is both technically and economically feasible.