DETERMINATION OF THE MOISTURE AND NITROGEN CONTENTS OF BARLEY AND MALT BY NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY (NIRS)

The determination of the moisture and nitrogen contents of barley and malt by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been tested by the Analy sis Committee of the European Brewery Convention. In the collaborative trial four samples of barley and malt were analyzed by 17 laboratorie s. Repeatability (r(95)) values of 0.3 and 1.5% m/m respectively were obtained for barley moisture over the range 12.7 to 15.8% m/m. For mal t moisture these values were 0.2 and 1.3% m/m over the range 4.0 to 4. 3% m/m, for barley nitrogen 0.1 and 0.3% m/m on dry matter over the ra nge 1.57 to 2.14% m/m, and for malt nitrogen 0.1 and 0.2% m/m on dry m atter over the range 1.58 to 1.82% m/m, respectively.