Effect of Clarifiers in Beer Brewing on the Lipid Profile of Consumers

Background and Objective: Beer clarity remains a significant factor influencing consumer choice and preferences. Clarifying agents (gelatin, chill guard, isinglass, polyclar, Irish moss and activated charcoal) were deployed for clarification of produced beer and their influence on the lipid profiles of rats was investigated. The interrelationship between the consumption of study beers and obesity was also measured using physical parameters such as weight loss and gain. Materials and Methods: Sorghum beer was home-brewed using white maize and sweet potato as adjuncts while spicing with grains of selim and ginger. Seventy male Wister rats (150-170 g) were grouped into binge, moderate and mild alcohol drinkers using standard doses of administration for 21 days. Results: Filtered but not clarified beer served as the positive control group while unclarified beer served as the negative control. Beer clarified with isinglass gave the highest clarity while those of activated charcoal, Irish moss, polyclar, chill guard, gelatin and filtered beer gave lesser clarity in decreasing order. At p≤0.05, significant weight gain was obtained for all groups. Clarified beers under study showed a decrease in high-density lipoprotein activity but an increase in the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein and non-high-density lipoprotein. Conclusion: This study suggested that daily consumption of beer clarified with these findings even at moderate dosages, increases bad cholesterol and the likelihood of developing obesity which potentiates the development of type 2 diabetes hypertension, coronary heart diseases and stroke.