Utilisation Possibilities of By-Products from Coffee Production in Food Industry

Abstract

Often referred to as worlds’ second most valuable commodity, coffee is produced in fifty countries and subsequently consumed worldwide generating a great amount of waste. Among their many other applications, this paper provides a survey of coffee by-products utilization in food industry. Coffee pulp is used to obtain volatile compounds and acetic acid by microbial activity. It can also be a source of anthocyanins, acting as natural colorants and bioactive ingredient. Recently, coffee pulp flour with high fiber (18%) and mineral (8%) content has been developed for application in confectionery and baked products. Various food additives (pectins, antioxidants and colors) can be obtained from mucilage, and even coffee honey was extracted from it. Husk is a source of citric acid and natural flavour. Silver skin has been used in combination with other ingredients in producing innovative coffee blends, bread, and biscuits, which had improved sensory and nutritional composition and reduced amount of hydroxymethylfurfural and acrylamide. Spent coffee grounds (SCG) has been used for obtaining a distilled beverage with coffee aroma and bioactive extract enriched in caffeine. Due to melanoidins content, it also exhibits an antimicrobial effect on some pathogens, such as S. aureus and E. coli. Being rich in dietary antioxidant fiber, SCG is incorporated in diverse food formulations with low glycemic and energetic value. A mixture of all coffee industry by-products is used as substrates for edible mushroom cultivation. Therefore, coffee waste, as an abundant natural material with low value, has a great potential of transferring into beneficial food products.