Isolation and Characterization of the Physiochemical Properties of Brewer’s Spent Grain

Kalidas Mainali, Madhav P. Yadav (), Brajendra K. Sharma, Majher I. Sarker, Helen Ngo, Arland Hotchkiss and Stefanie Simon
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Kalidas Mainali: Sustainable Biofuel and Co-Products Research Unit, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Madhav P. Yadav: Sustainable Biofuel and Co-Products Research Unit, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Brajendra K. Sharma: Sustainable Biofuel and Co-Products Research Unit, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Majher I. Sarker: Sustainable Biofuel and Co-Products Research Unit, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Helen Ngo: Sustainable Biofuel and Co-Products Research Unit, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Arland Hotchkiss: Sustainable Biofuel and Co-Products Research Unit, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Stefanie Simon: Sustainable Biofuel and Co-Products Research Unit, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Large quantities of brewer’s spent grains are not fully utilized even as cattle feed. These feedstocks can be used to produce highly functional biomaterials, carbonaceous materials, and additives. In this investigation, four major fractions were isolated and characterized: Hemicellulose A, Hemicellulose B, cellulosic-rich fraction (CRF), and oligosaccharides. Overall, 21.4% Hemicellulose A, 18.5% Hemicellulose B, 17.4% cellulosic rich fraction, and 5.5% pure oligosaccharides were obtained from the hexane-extracted brewery’s spent grains. Detailed physio-chemical analyses of each fraction showed that these fractions can be used to produce useful products such as emulsifiers, carbonaceous materials, modified cellulosic fibers, additives, as well as N-doped chars. Component analyses revealed that, Hemi. A contains high fixed carbon (20 wt.%), followed by hexane extracted material (17.1 wt.%), CRF (14.6 wt.%), and Hemi. B (14.5%). Standard proximate analyses showed that Hemi. A has the highest protein (66 wt.%), which can be utilized as a renewable solid-state N-precursor as dopants during the thermochemical conversion process. The sugar composition revealed that BSG has a typical arabinoxylan structure with a high percentage of arabinose and xylose. It also contains a high percentage of glucose, which may come from the residual β-glucan present in the BSG. FTIR analyses revealed changes in the structure of each fraction. Hence, BSG and extracted fractions exhibit significant potential for waste valorization, contributing significantly to the full utilization of products from the brewing industry.

Keywords: brewer’s spent grains; Hemicellulose A; Hemicellulose B; cellulose-rich fraction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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