Impact of the brewing process on the concentration of silicon in lager beer

Silicon is an important trace element that is believed to be essential, especially for the proper functioning of connective tissues. Beer is claimed to be an excellent source of bioavailable silicon. However, little is known about the impact of the brewing process on the concentration of silicon in beer. To clarify this relationship, the concentration of silicon in various lager beer samples was determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis, and the mass balance of silicon during the brewing process was calculated. The concentration of silicon ranged from 13.7 to 44.2 mg/L and was highly dependent on the type and quantity of the raw materials used, as well as on the brewing technology. The concentration of silicon in beers of the same brands brewed by distinct breweries did not differ significantly. The silicon mass balance showed that the main silicon source in beer is the barley malt and that the concentration of silicon in solution increases significantly after mashing, whereas it decreases after fermentation. The majority of silicon remains in the spent grains and the resulting beer contains only about 10% of the silicon present in the raw materials. The results confirmed that beer is a rich source of silicon in the human diet. In addition, the important factors that determine the silicon concentration in beer were identified. Copyright © 2014 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling