FORMATION OF AN INHIBITOR OF CARIOGENIC GLUCAN SYNTHESIS IN DARK BEER

Dental caries are initiated by water-insoluble glucan synthesis (IG) b y glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus mutans or S. sobrinus. Dark b eer inhibited IG synthesis more strongly than pale beer. The process o f formation of this inhibitor during dark beer production was examined . Neither the extract of dark malt, nor a mash made of dark and green malts inhibited IG synthesis. When wort made of dark and green malts w as fermented with yeast, the beer inhibited IG synthesis as the fermen tation proceeded. Three successive processes of roasting of barley or malt, mashing, and fermentation were essential for the formation of th is inhibitor. (C) 1998 Academic Press.