Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural Applications

Three types of solid waste are produced during beer fermentation: spent grain, hot trub, and residual yeast. While the first is used as livestock feed, the seconds has not yet found any real reapplication in the field of circular economy. The aim of this work is to study and characterize these two b...

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Main Authors: Laura Alessandroni, Riccardo Marconi, Marco Zannotti, Stefano Ferraro, Tereza Dolezalova, Diletta Piatti, Ghazal Namazzadeh, Simone Angeloni, Gianni Sagratini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/12/2081
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author Laura Alessandroni
Riccardo Marconi
Marco Zannotti
Stefano Ferraro
Tereza Dolezalova
Diletta Piatti
Ghazal Namazzadeh
Simone Angeloni
Gianni Sagratini
author_facet Laura Alessandroni
Riccardo Marconi
Marco Zannotti
Stefano Ferraro
Tereza Dolezalova
Diletta Piatti
Ghazal Namazzadeh
Simone Angeloni
Gianni Sagratini
author_sort Laura Alessandroni
collection DOAJ
description Three types of solid waste are produced during beer fermentation: spent grain, hot trub, and residual yeast. While the first is used as livestock feed, the seconds has not yet found any real reapplication in the field of circular economy. The aim of this work is to study and characterize these two brewing wastes, i.e., hot trub and residual yeast, to evaluate their potential reuse in the agricultural field. Samples from top-fermented and bottom-fermented beers were chemically investigated. Initially, the safety was assessed via multi-detection analysis of 57 mycotoxins, and all samples were deemed safe. Subsequently, the chemical and elemental composition was examined via ICP-MS and microanalysis, along with phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity via HPLC and spectrophotometric determinations, to achieve a thorough characterization of these waste samples. The C/N ratio of residual yeast from top-fermented beer and hot trub of the bottom-fermented one were near the optimal one (10:1). This research marks an initial step towards repurposing brewery waste materials as fertilizers. The subsequent steps will involve the formulation and field trials.
format Article
id doaj-art-dbf881eded3b4d35b685b1c857547a60
institution Kabale University
issn 2304-8158
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Foods
spelling doaj-art-dbf881eded3b4d35b685b1c857547a602025-08-20T03:27:22ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-06-011412208110.3390/foods14122081Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural ApplicationsLaura Alessandroni0Riccardo Marconi1Marco Zannotti2Stefano Ferraro3Tereza Dolezalova4Diletta Piatti5Ghazal Namazzadeh6Simone Angeloni7Gianni Sagratini8School of Pharmacy, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Pharmacy, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Science and Technology, Chemistry Division, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Science and Technology, Chemistry Division, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalyDepartment of Food Analysis and Nutrition, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28 Prague, Czech RepublicSchool of Pharmacy, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Pharmacy, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Pharmacy, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Pharmacy, Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP), University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, ItalyThree types of solid waste are produced during beer fermentation: spent grain, hot trub, and residual yeast. While the first is used as livestock feed, the seconds has not yet found any real reapplication in the field of circular economy. The aim of this work is to study and characterize these two brewing wastes, i.e., hot trub and residual yeast, to evaluate their potential reuse in the agricultural field. Samples from top-fermented and bottom-fermented beers were chemically investigated. Initially, the safety was assessed via multi-detection analysis of 57 mycotoxins, and all samples were deemed safe. Subsequently, the chemical and elemental composition was examined via ICP-MS and microanalysis, along with phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity via HPLC and spectrophotometric determinations, to achieve a thorough characterization of these waste samples. The C/N ratio of residual yeast from top-fermented beer and hot trub of the bottom-fermented one were near the optimal one (10:1). This research marks an initial step towards repurposing brewery waste materials as fertilizers. The subsequent steps will involve the formulation and field trials.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/12/2081hot trubbeerbrewer residual yeastcircular economybeer by-productsagricultural applications
spellingShingle Laura Alessandroni
Riccardo Marconi
Marco Zannotti
Stefano Ferraro
Tereza Dolezalova
Diletta Piatti
Ghazal Namazzadeh
Simone Angeloni
Gianni Sagratini
Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural Applications
Foods
hot trub
beer
brewer residual yeast
circular economy
beer by-products
agricultural applications
title Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural Applications
title_full Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural Applications
title_fullStr Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural Applications
title_full_unstemmed Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural Applications
title_short Chemical Characterization of Hot Trub and Residual Yeast: Exploring Beer By-Products for Future Sustainable Agricultural Applications
title_sort chemical characterization of hot trub and residual yeast exploring beer by products for future sustainable agricultural applications
topic hot trub
beer
brewer residual yeast
circular economy
beer by-products
agricultural applications
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/12/2081
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