Multi-Response Optimization of Soaking, Germination and Drying for Malting Barley (RD-2715) using Central Composite Design

The investigation explores the RSM-driven optimization of barley (RD-2715) malting process with major emphasis on the influence of the malting processes on the physico-chemical and bio-functional quality characteristics of barley malt. Barley malting, comprising of soaking, germination and drying steps, changes the biochemical composition of the barley grains. The study undertaken aimed to predict the best malting conditions for the production of high-quality barley malt by virtue of Response Surface Methodology-Central Composite Design (RSM-CCD). The optimization measured the impact of three key parameters of malting, viz . soaking time (24 to 72 h), germination time (24 to 72 h), and drying temperature (50 to 70°C), on protein content, β-glucan content, and antioxidant activity in malted barley. The results with 1.00 desirability coefficient for the barley variety under consideration depicted high accuracy across all responses. On the basis of results obtained, the predicted ideal conditions for the barley (RD-2715) malting were a soaking time of 24.01 h, a germination time of 46.89 h, and a drying temperature of 62.65°C. The resultant barley malt produced under such ideal malting conditions of soaking (24 h), germination (48 h) and drying (60°C) exhibited a protein content of 9.40%, a β-glucan level of 6.12%, and an antioxidant activity of 64.81% as DPPH assay.