ABSTRACT
The process of beer brewing, and beer itself, is often held in a position of repute and tradition. This chapter highlights the potential integrity challenges in the beer production process. It examines allergens, issues with raw materials, processing aids and additives, food safety, and certification systems. The principle aim of the malting process is to induce the in situ biosynthesis of endogenous enzymes for the hydrolysis of storage carbohydrates and proteins, without causing a significant hydrolysis of storage nutrients. One such loss involves minimizing the amount of culms (the rootlets produced by the germinating grains) that are not part of the malt used during brewing but that remain following the completion of kilning. There are a multitude of estimates that predict the prevalence of food-related allergies within the world's population. The most common and most difficult to avoid allergen that is associated with beer is gluten, which is contained within all common beer-associated cereals.
