Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) a Sustainable Raw Material for the Malting and Brewing Process: A Review

On going research further substantiate that consumption of whole grains and grain-based products is associated with health benefits and risk reduction of chronic diseases. Epidemiological studies on these cereals continue to generate an increasing interest on cereal products. This attention also concerns the beverage industry and in the present study, more specifically, malt and beer production, connected with an expansion of the market for gluten free beers. A declaration as an ecological and natural produced good is willingly carried out by the producers. Malted cereals will be appropriate for that kind of declaration because, for brewing purposes, suited malt will offer a good fermented product derived from a simple and well-known technology. More importantly, easy availability is an essential advantage.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) has a high potential as an alternative food ingredient especially in regions, where the appropriate growing conditions for cereals like wheat, barley, among others, are not met. This paper reviews publications and technical literature on P. miliaceum. By doing so, it provides an overview of the cereal composition and, if found, of its structures’ behaviour when used for malt, wort and beer production. Many of the verified publications deal with the study of the use of proso millet for foodstuffs. Nevertheless, the compiled data show a good correlation to those cereals that are well known to be good raw brewing material and are therefore used for malting and brewing purposes.

BrewingScience - Monatsschrift für Brauwissenschaft, 62 (July/August 2009), pp. 119-140