Using Hydrofluorocarbon Extracts of Hop in a Pilot Scale Brewing Process

In recent years, the use of hop extracts in industrial and home brewing processes as an alternative to hop cones or pellets usually added to wort during boiling has become increasingly popular. These extracts represent concentrated sources of bitter compounds, i.e., α- and β-acids, which are involved in some of the main reactions that take place in the wort and are responsible for the bitterness and the final quality of beer. This work aims at proposing a novel extraction technique, using a hydrofluorocarbon solvent in subcritical conditions; this process provided an extraction yield of 19% and an α-acid recovery of approximately 49% in 120 min of process. The α-acid isomerization kinetics of thermally treated hop extracts were studied and compared with those of both hop pellets and a CO2 extract. Laboratory scale tests showed that shorter boiling times were needed using hydrofluorocarbon and CO2 extracts (approximately 25 min and 34 min, respectively) to reach the same isomerization efficiency of 16.73%, achieved in 50 min of boiling with pellets. Moreover, the process was scaled up and the possibility of considerably reducing the conventional treatment times using hydrofluorocarbon extracts was confirmed: the same isomerization yield (9.1%) obtained after 50 min using the traditional procedure with hop pellets was reached in a shorter time of approximately 35 min in a pilot apparatus.

Molecular mechanisms of Tetranychus urticae chemical adaptation in hop fields

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch is a major pest that feeds on >1,100 plant species. Many perennial crops including hop (Humulus lupulus) are routinely plagued by T. urticae infestations. Hop is a specialty crop in Pacific Northwest states, where 99% of all U.S. hops are produced. To suppress T. urticae, growers often apply various acaricides. Unfortunately T. urticae has been documented to quickly develop resistance to these acaricides which directly cause control failures. Here, we investigated resistance ratios and distribution of multiple resistance-associated mutations in field collected T. urticae samples compared with a susceptible population. Our research revealed that a mutation in the cytochrome b gene (G126S) in 35% tested T. urticae populations and a mutation in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene (F1538I) in 66.7% populations may contribute resistance to bifenazate and bifenthrin, respectively. No mutations were detected in Glutamate-gated chloride channel subunits tested, suggesting target site insensitivity may not be important in our hop T. urticae resistance to abamectin. However, P450-mediated detoxification was observed and is a putative mechanism for abamectin resistance. Molecular mechanisms of T. urticae chemical adaptation in hopyards is imperative new information that will help growers develop effective and sustainable management strategies.