Question About Imported Malts

[bradk]

Hi,

I believe malts such as weyermann are imported varieties? My question is, are these malts 'chemically treated' for import? At first glance, I would assume they would have to be due to our import/quarantine laws. Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,

Brad

 

[jakub76]

Wooden furniture gets chemically treated, food stuff is treated a bit more carefully

 

[Brewing_Brad]

Hi,

I believe malts such as weyermann are imported varieties? My question is, are these malts 'chemically treated' for import? At first glance, I would assume they would have to be due to our import/quarantine laws. Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,

Brad

I recall hearing of some wheat imports into Canada from California being treated with insecticide due to a specific bug they had down there (in California) but I can't seem to find any reference to it now. Also I tried to find any information on the web to see if there was any indication of grains etc being sprayed or otherwise treated before they enter the country, but no luck.

So, I guess they're not treated unless there is a quarantine risk. That being said; who knows what the "farmers" put on the crops before they're harvested? The quarantine treatment might be quite tame in comparison

Cheers
Brad

 

[kevin_smevin]

I cant say for sure. The only problem with malt is in storage. The malting process will eliminate any insects etc that would be troublesome. Its in storage where the little bastards can be a problem. I'm leading toward the no treatment with nasty chemicals etc. Our local malts presumably aren't treated with anything and i've never heard of anyone getting anything dodgy in their malt unless they dont store it right.

 

[felten]

The maltsters will do a lot of tests on the malt they buy to make sure its consistent, good quality and no nasty chemicals left over.

 

[Fourstar]

what about the fact that its malted at temperatures between 95-110c and then toasted or roasted depending on the malt type?!

 

[brettprevans]

why not send AQIS an email and ask them. or Dept Primary Industries. They have the policy/service responsibility for plant and animal biosecurity

edit: that is of course if you want the actual answer and not people's thoughts who really cant answer with any certainty unless they have previously asked the offical source (ie the government).

I assume you searched AHB to see if anyone had posted any information previously.

 

[jimi]

Hi,

I believe malts such as weyermann are imported varieties? My question is, are these malts 'chemically treated' for import? At first glance, I would assume they would have to be due to our import/quarantine laws. Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,

Brad

I believe much, if not all of our organic malt is sourced from NZ. Obviously to earn 'organic' status chemical treatment is not allowed at any stage in production so obviously there is no need to chemically treat malt for importation.
Our local and I assume international grain can / will be treated by various pesticides (should they be needed) as a matter or course during the growing season eg if their is a weevil outbreak or other pest. All treatments have a compulsary 'withholding period' after spraying and therefore don't pose a health risk - unless you like conspiracy theories.

 

[Fourstar]

i guess people missed my post.

It has been heat treated.. COOKED, it is not a raw product. Assuming it goes direct from cooling to a sealed lined grain baggy and 'shelf stable' what is the issue? It has gone trough stages of food processing much like the reason why its ok to import hop pellets and not flowers.

 

[brettprevans]

i guess people missed my post.

It has been heat treated.. COOKED, it is not a raw product. Assuming it goes direct from cooling to a sealed lined grain baggy and 'shelf stable' what is the issue? It has gone trough stages of food processing much like the reason why its ok to import hop pellets and not flowers.

sorry mate, i didnt miss your post. i thought it made a good point.

still, cetain things atill arent allowed in. flowers (even dried treated) arent allowed in.

 

[Fourstar]

still, cetain things atill arent allowed in. flowers (even dried treated) arent allowed in.

But Heat treated?

 

[Bubba Q]

Import conditions for malted grain

 

[jimi]

sorry mate, i didnt miss your post. i thought it made a good point.

still, cetain things atill arent allowed in. flowers (even dried treated) arent allowed in.

But Heat treated?

Yep, pests can jump aboard at any stage if your transition sites aren't up to scratch, even after their heat treatment. Bubba's link pretty much says it all at the end.

 

[Wolfy]

why not send AQIS an email and ask them. or Dept Primary Industries.

I think David from Cryer malt (whom import Wey malt AFIK) would give you a quicker and easier to understand answer. He was very approachable and friendly at the Beer-expo thing so I doubt he would mind the question.

 

[kevin_smevin]

But Heat treated?

Malting and the heat treatment doesn't stop stuff happening to the malt AFTER malting.

 

[bradk]

Import conditions for malted grain

Some good info there Bubbu! Cheers!

 

[RdeVjun]

Reckon a few would be surprised how even domestic grains are treated for insect pests. For instance, I once worked at a processing plant where bulk sunflower kernel (edible, for the confectionery trade) sourced from Moree was treated with fenithrothion upon arrival as a rule, and that doesn't even consider any later fumigation. When I was there any incoming was always quarantined for some kind of treatment, on occasions it was fumigated with methyl bromide for export to particular countries but mostly just phosphine when stock started to hum. Maybe things are different now and malt is handled differently, but the insect pests are still the same...

 

[felten]

methyl bromide sounds like nasty stuff, good thing it's odorless!

 

[barneyb]

still, cetain things atill arent allowed in. flowers (even dried treated) arent allowed in.

Flowers are allowed in but with strict regulations. Some varieties aren't allowed in but some are. First what is being bought in must not be able to be propagated (so any plant diseases can't be introduced) and they must be fumigated (even if they are fumigated overseas) and inspected for disease and insects. There are ways to avoid fumigation when they arrive here but it's complicated.

I used to work for a company that imported flowers and foliage from overseas so I know quite a bit about it.

Reading the import conditions about grain you can see the prcess is very similar. First they test that the malt can't still germinate and they will inspect the grain for insects and disease.

But Heat treated?

Like previous posters pointed out the issue is what could happen from the malt house to the airport. Also seeing as it isn't AQIS malting the grains themselves there is no way they are going to blindly trust the word of an overseas company trying to export to Australia.