The present invention relates to new enzymes with improved properties and to compositions comprising these enzymes suitable for use in the production of a food, feed, or malt beverage product, such as in a brewing process.

Barley based beverages are produced in large quantities, employing highly energy consuming methods, for example in the malting and brewhouse facilities for kiln drying and wort boiling operations, respectively. The present invention relates to energy saving methods for preparing barley based beverages, as well as to barley plants useful in such methods. In particular, the invention describes barley plants with combined traits of null-lipoxygenase-1 (null-LOX-1), null-lipoxygenase-2 (null-LOX-2) and null-S-adenosylmethionine:methionine S-methyltransferase in one plant, which is particularly useful for energy saving methods to prepare barley based beverages, such as beer.

The present disclosure provides a formulated pectin composition for lowering food glycemic index (GI) value. The formulated pectin composition comprises low-ester pectin and metal salt of bivalent/trivalent cation, with or without soluble polysaccharides. The formulated pectin composition may comprise the components: pectin and metal salt of bivalent or trivalent cation, in the following weight percentages: the pectin 94.3-97.1% and the metal salt of bivalent or trivalent cation 2.9-5.7%.