AB71410-EN-BEER-Compendium-0716S.pdf

7 / 14

©2016 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. All rights reserved. Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. Twitter is a trademark of Twitter,
Inc. Google+ and YouTube are trademarks of Google Inc. All other trademarks are the property of Thermo Fisher Scientific and its
subsidiaries. Specifications, terms and pricing are subject to change. Not all products are available in all countries. Please consult your
local sales representative for details.
YOUR BRAND IS EVERYTHING.
AB71410-EN 0716S-B5
Overview:
In normal fermentation, yeast converts sugar to ethanol and carbon dioxide. Yeast
synthesizes the proteins required from amino acids that may be created from ammonia
or by removal of the amino group from other alpha amino acids. The alpha amino acids
available to yeast during fermentation are known as Free Amino Nitrogen (FAN).
Levels of FAN in wort influence the formation of higher alcohols, specifically ethanol,
which contributes to the flavor of beer.
The ninhydrin method describes FAN measurement and is used by the leading brewing
governing bodies. The correlation between the Brewing Analytes Proficiency Testing
Scheme (BAPS) beer samples measured according to the EBC FAN protocol and the
Thermo Scientific™ Gallery™ system alpha-amino nitrogen by o-Phthaldialdehyde
(NOPA) method are examined.
Method:
The NOPA method was demonstrated using a Thermo Scientific™ Gallery™ discrete
photometric analyzer. Similar results were obtained with the Thermo Scientific™
Gallery ™ Plus, Arena™, and Gallery™ Plus Beermaster analyzers. A NOPA test kit from
Thermo Fisher Scientific was used.
Conclusion:
All samples tested by the Thermo Scientific NOPA method demonstrate result levels
similar to samples tested according to the EBC FAN protocol for beer. The Gallery
analyzer method is an easy to use, robust method for the measurement of FAN in beer
and wort. The advantage of using an automated analyzer is its ability to measure
multiple analytes like beta-glucan and SO2 in addition to performing the NOPA
measurement on the same sample.
Correlation of the Free Amino Nitrogen and
Nitrogen by O-Phthaldialdehyde Methods in the
Assay of Beer
Otama, Liisa1, Tikanoja, Sari 1, Kane, Hilary2, Hartikainen, Sari1, Kaski, Leena1, and Suoniemi-Kähärä, Annu1
1Thermo Fisher Scientific, Vantaa Finland2, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hemel Hempstead, UK
Application Summary AN 71798