Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities of Cereals and their Malts

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of malting on the antioxidant content in cereals such as wheat (PS Sunanka, Zaira, PS 57/11 and Vanda), oat (Dunajec) and barley (Laudis 550) harvested in 2013. Antioxidant and polyphenol contents of these cereals and malts were investigated. Secondary, technological parameters of prepared malts were evaluated and compared with malt from barley Laudis 550 used as reference material. Malting of selected cereals had an impact on antioxidant and polyphenol content and allowed a better extraction of these compounds from cereal matrix, except of barley malt, whose antioxidant and total polyphenol content remained comparable. For other cereal malts, antioxidant contents were 2.0, 1.8, 2.6, 2.9 and 3.2-fold higher and total polyphenol content were 1.8, 1.9, 1.9, 3.1 and 3.4-fold higher than in wheat (PS Sunanka, Zaira, PS 57/11, Vanda) and oat (Dunajec), respectively. From correlation analysis, the results showed that not all polyphenols released by malting have antioxidant activity. Technological parameters (friability, haze of wort, saccharification rate, filtration rate, extract and diastatic power) also indicated that good malt quality had oat Dunajec and wheat PS Sunanka and Zaira in comparison with reference material (barley Laudis 550)