Ensuring microbial quality control is crucial in the brewing industry to maintain product consistency and safety. Real-time PCR (qPCR) detection is gradually being adopted as an alternative method to traditional plating which is widely used for the detection of beer spoilage organisms.

qPCR amplifies DNA sequences unique to a specific organism, allowing for unambiguous identification of spoilage organisms such as lactic acid bacteria or wild yeast strains. This technique has the potential to transform quality control in the brewing industry by providing high turn-around times with accurate detection of microbial contaminants that can compromise beer quality or lead to consumer harm.

In breweries, qPCR can be used at various stages of the production process, from raw material inspection to final product testing. Its high sensitivity and specificity enable the early detection of contaminants, significantly reducing the risk of product loss and subsequent financial impacts.

This presentation discusses the principles of qPCR, its implementation in brewery settings, and presents a case study demonstrating its application for yeast culture quality control.