Production of purple pigment from green malt and dry malt grains by fermentation without steaming

Summary A large amount of high-molecular-mass anthocyanin pigment was produced by fermentation of malt grains without steaming, in which the malts were used as raw materials. The formation of a purple pigment from green malt was the most prominent from all malt grains tested. The precursor of the purple pigment was presumed to be a polyphenol (proanthocyanidin). When malt was used as the raw material, it allowed the production of pigment without using the glucoamylase preparation that is used for the fermentation of barley bran. In addition, the pigment was produced even from dry malt that had been treated with heat (80°C).