Characterization of volatile aroma and flavor metabolites in Hop (Humulus lupulus) and beer products

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Humulus is a small genus of flowering plants native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Hops are the female flowers (seed cones, strobiles) of the species Humulus lupulus that are used as flavouring agents in beer production. There are many hop varieties grown in North America. Each different variety contributes unique flavour and aroma profiles in beer, and have different advantages and disadvantages in local growing environments. The a-acid humulone has historically provided the main commercial value of hops because it imparts the bitter flavoring in beer and also functions as a natural preservative. The craft beer industry has emphasized a high demand for diverse offerings of "Aroma Hop" cultivars that are enriched in volatile organic compounds such as terpenes. The craft beer industry is spurring renewed interest and investment in local hop agriculture. South-western British Columbia, particularly the Fraser Valley and Okanagan regions are excellent agricultural areas for hop production. Local SMEs working in hop agriculture, hop processing, and brewing industries are approaching Kwantlen Polytechnic University for R&D partnerships. The Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) Bio-Innovation Lab wishes to expand its capacity to support these SMEs and provide faculty, researchers and students with modern research tools. The requested GC-MS (Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy) instrument will allow the KPU Bio-Innovation Lab to characterize volatile aroma-type compounds in hop products (flowers, pellets, and extracts) and also the beer products. Complementary to this analytical approach is the genetic identification of different hop cultivars. The KPU Bio-Innovation Lab has modern DNA sequencing and genomics infrastructure but currently lacks a robust and cost effective method to quantify DNA. The requested nanodrop spectrometer is a vital piece of equipment that will support the KPU Bio-Innovation lab and its industry partners for genomic based R&D initiatives.