Our body cannot handle grains in their original untreated state because – like a number of legumes – they need to be prepared first to release the nutrients our body needs. Man has employed a variety of techniques since ancient times to overcome the problem, including soaking, germinating, fermentation and cooking.
Malt comes from the germination of cereal grains by means of a process known as “malting”. The grains are left to soak in lukewarm water until they start to sprout. Growth environment conditions are controlled closely: air temperature, water temperature and germination time are adjusted to allow the grain to develop its maximum usable biochemical content. In due course, the grains are dried, separated from the sprout and ground.
This warm, humid environment promotes the complex chemical reactions that initiate life: it triggers all the enzymes – i.e., biomolecules – that allow the biochemical reactions to take place and speeds them up in order to create the nourishment required for the future seedling to grow. The enzymes we are interested in are alpha- and beta-amylases, which convert starch molecules into simpler molecules, like dextrins, glucose and, ultimately, maltose, which serve to provide readily assimilable nourishment for the seedling’s growth. Also of interest, albeit to a lesser degree, are proteases, which break down proteins into simpler and more assimilable forms (including, as we will see later, gluten).
Malting does not end until maltose concentrations in the grain have peaked. Maltose and glucose are the only fermentable sugars. The process whereby starch in the cereal grain is broken down reproduces what happens in our own digestive system: what actually happens here is the enzymes in the human body, such as ptyalin (which is also found in saliva) and pancreatic amylase, first convert the starch (in this case, cooked starch) into dextrins and then into maltose. Only then does a third enzyme, maltase, cleave the maltose into two glucose molecules. This is why starches, namely carbohydrates, are called “complex sugars”: assimilated slowly, they have to be broken down into simpler molecules before they can be assimilated and converted into the vital energy that keeps us running.
When the grains are then ground, what we ultimately end up with is so-called diastatic malt flour, which – as we have seen – is rich in valuable chemical components, such as enzymes and simple sugars: these elements play an essential role in facilitating the wheat flour dough fermentation process.