Grant: Engage Grants Program
University of Regina
$25,000.00
Finding the microbes responsible for beneficial and deleterious metabolites in malt production
FY 2017-18
Summary
Craft brewing is one of the fastest growing industries in Canada, now accounting for about 25% of thenine-billion-dollar Canadian beer industry. Defining characteristics of the craft brewing industry are the smallbatch production of beers exclusively from natural ingredients, and highly dedicated consumers that expectboth reliable signature beers along with ongoing development of new beer flavours. Major risks for brewers aremicrobial activities that generate bad tasting flavours, and contamination with bacteria that later grow and spoilbeer after packaging. Therefore, as in all food production industries, brewers work diligently to avoid spoilagecaused by undesirable bacterial activities. For example, lactic acid bacteria are ubiquitous on raw materials(grain and hops) used in the brewing process and are known to persist in the brewing environment. Unwantedbacterial activity results in the production of malodorous off-flavours and textures (e.g. slimy orover-carbonated) which can lead to significant financial losses and strongly influence consumer experience.This NSERC Engage brings the Cameron lab's expertise in microbial genetics to: 1. Identify the bacterial andfungus that enter a brewery on the raw ingredients (grain and hops), and 2. Identify the lactic acid bacteria inthe brewery to develop better gene targets for routine quality control testing by the industrial partner. The firstgoal will allow for correlation of microbial communities with metabolites being measured by the industrialpartner. These correlations enable improved industrial processes to control microbial activity on the rawingredients to reduce the chance of unwanted metabolites (ie. bad flavours). The second goal assists in qualitycontrol in the brewing environment to reduce the risk of contamination. Altogether, the proposed Engageproject will provide the partner with knowledge of the microbial communities entering and persisting in theproduction line, as well as diagnostic markers for incorporation into their routine quality control monitoring.
Program
Engage Grants Program
Recipient
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
522290-2017
Name nom
Cameron, Andrew
Department département
Biology
Organization id
17
Institution établissement
University of Regina
Province en
Saskatchewan
Province fr
Saskatchewan
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2017
Competition year année de concours
2017
Award amount
25000
Program id
EGP
Program name en
Engage Grants Program
Program name fr
Programme de subventions d'engagement partenariat
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1555
Committee name en
Prairie Internal Decision Committee
Committee name fr
Comité de décision interne pour les Prairies
Area of application code
100
Area of application group en
Agriculture and primary food production
Area of application group fr
Agriculture et produits alimentaires primaires
Area of application en
Agriculture and primary food production
Area of application fr
Agriculture et produits alimentaires primaires
Research subject code
5200
Research subject group en
Microbiology
Research subject group fr
Microbiologie
Research subject en
Microbiology
Research subject fr
Microbiologie
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Finding the microbes responsible for beneficial and deleterious metabolites in malt production
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Craft brewing is one of the fastest growing industries in Canada, now accounting for about 25% of thenine-billion-dollar Canadian beer industry. Defining characteristics of the craft brewing industry are the smallbatch production of beers exclusively from natural ingredients, and highly dedicated consumers that expectboth reliable signature beers along with ongoing development of new beer flavours. Major risks for brewers aremicrobial activities that generate bad tasting flavours, and contamination with bacteria that later grow and spoilbeer after packaging. Therefore, as in all food production industries, brewers work diligently to avoid spoilagecaused by undesirable bacterial activities. For example, lactic acid bacteria are ubiquitous on raw materials(grain and hops) used in the brewing process and are known to persist in the brewing environment. Unwantedbacterial activity results in the production of malodorous off-flavours and textures (e.g. slimy orover-carbonated) which can lead to significant financial losses and strongly influence consumer experience.This NSERC Engage brings the Cameron lab's expertise in microbial genetics to: 1. Identify the bacterial andfungus that enter a brewery on the raw ingredients (grain and hops), and 2. Identify the lactic acid bacteria inthe brewery to develop better gene targets for routine quality control testing by the industrial partner. The firstgoal will allow for correlation of microbial communities with metabolites being measured by the industrialpartner. These correlations enable improved industrial processes to control microbial activity on the rawingredients to reduce the chance of unwanted metabolites (ie. bad flavours). The second goal assists in qualitycontrol in the brewing environment to reduce the risk of contamination. Altogether, the proposed Engageproject will provide the partner with knowledge of the microbial communities entering and persisting in theproduction line, as well as diagnostic markers for incorporation into their routine quality control monitoring.
