Use of an experimental design program to examine the influence of wort amino acids on vicinal diketones in lager fermentations.

Casey, G.P., Sall, C.J., Maurer, J.M., Tutor, G.L. and Pringle, A.T.

Abstract
The use of a computer aided design of experiments (CADE) program to develop experimental procedures for an investigation into the relationship between the amino acid composition of wort and the production of vicinal diketones (VDK) during fermentation is described. The screening experiments developed in the first stage of the project showed the most important amino acids in relation to VDK production to be isoleucine, leucine, valine, serine and asparagine. Optimization experiments using these amino acids were then devised. Interactive analysis of experimental data was used to generate mathematical models and "response surface contour plots" describing the relationships between the five amino acids and VDK production.
Keywords : amino acid composition computer program fermentation model simulation vicinal diketones wort