Tapping into oxidative coupling of barley phenolamides

Summary

The focus was to improve the antimicrobial activity of natural defence compounds (so called monomers) from barley by coupling. A method to produce the monomers was developed. We then investigated how these monomers couple. By using an enzymatic treatment the natural process was mimicked and the coupling products from barley were formed. We have extracted brewery by-products and analysed these for the presence of monomers and coupling products. We established the antimicrobial activity of the monomers, coupling products, and extracts. Some coupling products can prevent the spoilage of beer by wild yeast. The extracts were so far not found to be active as antimicrobials.