Aussie scientists create world-first gluten-free barley beer

Gluten intolerant beer lovers can fear no more, after Australian scientists on Friday announced a breakthrough in gluten-free beer.

In a world-first, barley grown by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has been specifically bred to contain "ultra-low" levels of hordeins, the type of gluten found in barley.

The result is a full-flavored beer which conforms to the German purity law Reinheitsgebot - whereby a beer is made from barley, water, yeast and hops only.

Gluten-free beers are currently offered by breweries around the world, but they do not contain barley; instead, other fermentables such millet, rice and sorghum are used in its place.

The result of the CSIRO research means those who are gluten intolerant, such as those with coeliac disease, can happily enjoy the world's most popular alcoholic beverage.

Principal Research Scientist Dr Crispin Howitt said the barley bred by the CSIRO, called Kebari, was a world-first and suitable as part of a gluten-free diet.

"Using conventional breeding we've reduced the gluten levels to 10,000 times less than regular barley which more than meets the World Health Organization's recommendation for calling a grain gluten-free," Howitt said in a statement on Friday.

Howitt said the CSIRO was also working on a "hulless version" of Kebari which would be used in foods like breakfast cereals, soup, pasta and even flatbreads.

"It will be the first part of the next generation of gluten-free products helping people with coeliac disease to increase fibre, promote bowel health and enhance nutrition in their diet," he said.

German beer brewing company Radeberger has used Kebari barley to develop Pioneer, the first gluten-free beer available on the shelves. It goes on sale in Germany from Friday. Endit