Lichenases

Lichenases are an alternative term for licheninases — enzymes (endo-1,3(4)-β-glucanases) that hydrolyse mixed-linkage β-glucans such as lichenin and cereal β-glucans. Used in brewing to break down the gummy β-glucans of barley during malting and mashing, they reduce wort viscosity, improve lautering and filtration rates, and clarify beer — under-degraded β-glucans cause hazes and stuck sparges. They are also explored for producing prebiotic and bioactive oligosaccharides from cereal fibres (oat, barley) for functional foods; commercial preparations come from Bacillus and Trichoderma and must meet food-enzyme specifications.