The use of the rapid visco analyser (RVA) to sequentially study starch properties in commercial malting barley (Hordeum vulgare)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of the rapid visco analyser (RVA) instrument as a tool to sequentially analyse barley (Hordeum vulgare) malting varieties in order to visualise and interpret the effect of amylose and amylose complexes on its pasting properties. The RVA sequential profiles derived from the barley samples analysed showed a large peak (peak viscosity, PV) at the start of each cycle alternating with viscosity troughs during the hot paste viscosity cycle. The sequential cycles caused a slight decrease in both PV and (final) FV values in all barley varieties analysed. The addition of silver nitrate to the barley flour samples tends to slightly increase the PV value independently of the time of the analysis. The development of this methodology will provide with better tools to study starch pasting properties as well as to study the interactions between amylose and amylopectin with other compounds in various malting varieties.