Planta Medica International Open 2017; 4(S 01): S1-S202
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1608525
Poster Session
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

TLC as a screening and crosscheck method for natural products using the quantification of α-and β-acids in hop as an example

M Oberle
1   Merck KGaA, Life Science, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
,
J Engemann
1   Merck KGaA, Life Science, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
,
V Pilakowski
1   Merck KGaA, Life Science, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
,
M Burholt
1   Merck KGaA, Life Science, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
24 October 2017 (online)

 

Hops are a very important base material for the production of beer. The substance Lupulin, isolated from the hops cones, is especially responsible for the bitterness and unique taste of a beer. That is why the amount of bitter acids in hops is very important for breweries. Lupulin contains various bitter acids [1], α- (humulone) and β- (lupulone) acids, which vary in different types of hops. Caused by the content of bitter acids, hops are divided into aromatic hops (< 10% of α-acids) and bitter hops (> 10% α-acids) [2]. In general, the α- and β-acids are also divided into five homologues.

The investigation of different hop types has shown that the amount of α-acid is both dependent on the hop category as well as on the region. It could also be determined that the β-acid is not related to these criteria and is similar in all hop samples regardless of whether the HPLC or TLC method was used. The amount of α-acid, but not the β-acid, depends on the kind of hop (bitter or aromatic) and the region. Both methods, TLC and HPLC, were used in comparison to quantify α- and β-acids. With TLC a lot of samples can be analyzed in parallel in a short timeframe. Additional compounds can be visualized by using special derivatization reagents and all analytical information are available on the same TLC plate and is there for the quick screening and crosscheck method of choice. The HPLC had the better resolution and separated the hop acids in more homologues. Both methods have advantages for the analytical workflow and can be easily combined.

[1] Adrian Forster, Martin Biendl, Christiina Schönberger, Bernhard Engelhard, Andreas Gahr, Anton Lutz, Willi Mitter, Reinhard Schmidt (2012). Hopfen. Vom Anbau bis zum Bier, 1. Aufl. Carl, Nürnberg.

[2] B. Engelhard, a. Lutz, E. Seigner (2011). Hopfen für alle Biere der Welt.