Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile Emissions

Beer is the third most popular beverage in the world, and its production is distributed uniformly between the biggest continents. Considering the environmental aspects, the utilization of brewing by-products, mainly brewers’ spent grain (BSG), is essential on a global scale. The beer revolution, las...

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Main Authors: Aleksander Hejna, Joanna Aniśko-Michalak, Katarzyna Skórczewska, Mateusz Barczewski, Paweł Sulima, Jerzy Andrzej Przyborowski, Hubert Cieśliński, Mariusz Marć
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/13/2809
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author Aleksander Hejna
Joanna Aniśko-Michalak
Katarzyna Skórczewska
Mateusz Barczewski
Paweł Sulima
Jerzy Andrzej Przyborowski
Hubert Cieśliński
Mariusz Marć
author_facet Aleksander Hejna
Joanna Aniśko-Michalak
Katarzyna Skórczewska
Mateusz Barczewski
Paweł Sulima
Jerzy Andrzej Przyborowski
Hubert Cieśliński
Mariusz Marć
author_sort Aleksander Hejna
collection DOAJ
description Beer is the third most popular beverage in the world, and its production is distributed uniformly between the biggest continents. Considering the environmental aspects, the utilization of brewing by-products, mainly brewers’ spent grain (BSG), is essential on a global scale. The beer revolution, lasting over a few decades, significantly diversified the beer market in terms of styles, and therefore, also its by-products, which should be characterized appropriately prior to further application. Herein, the presented study investigated the unprecedented number of 22 different variants of brewers’ spent grain, yielded from the production of various beer styles, enabling their proper comparison. A comprehensive by-product characterization revealed an almost linear relationship (Pearson correlation coefficients exceeding 0.9) between the color parameters (L*, a*, browning index) of beer and generated spent grain, enabling a prediction of BSG appearance based on beer color. Applying wheat or rye malts increased the content of extractives by over 40%, reducing cellulose content by as much as 45%. Thermal treatments of malts (kilning or smoking) also reduced extractive content and limited antioxidant activity, often by over 30%. A lack of husk for wheat or rye reduced the crystallinity index of spent grain by 21–41%, while the roasting of barley efficiently decomposed the less stable compounds and maintained the cellulose crystalline structure. All the analyzed BSG samples were characterized by low volatile emissions and very limited antimicrobial activity. Therefore, their harmfulness to human health and the environment is limited, broadening their potential application range.
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series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-e7958e15d43048e2b73398cebfb3439c2025-08-20T03:28:33ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-06-013013280910.3390/molecules30132809Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile EmissionsAleksander Hejna0Joanna Aniśko-Michalak1Katarzyna Skórczewska2Mateusz Barczewski3Paweł Sulima4Jerzy Andrzej Przyborowski5Hubert Cieśliński6Mariusz Marć7Institute of Materials Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-138 Poznan, PolandInstitute of Materials Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-138 Poznan, PolandFaculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Seminaryjna 3 Street, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, PolandInstitute of Materials Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-138 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Bioresource Engineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-724 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Bioresource Engineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-724 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, PolandDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, PolandBeer is the third most popular beverage in the world, and its production is distributed uniformly between the biggest continents. Considering the environmental aspects, the utilization of brewing by-products, mainly brewers’ spent grain (BSG), is essential on a global scale. The beer revolution, lasting over a few decades, significantly diversified the beer market in terms of styles, and therefore, also its by-products, which should be characterized appropriately prior to further application. Herein, the presented study investigated the unprecedented number of 22 different variants of brewers’ spent grain, yielded from the production of various beer styles, enabling their proper comparison. A comprehensive by-product characterization revealed an almost linear relationship (Pearson correlation coefficients exceeding 0.9) between the color parameters (L*, a*, browning index) of beer and generated spent grain, enabling a prediction of BSG appearance based on beer color. Applying wheat or rye malts increased the content of extractives by over 40%, reducing cellulose content by as much as 45%. Thermal treatments of malts (kilning or smoking) also reduced extractive content and limited antioxidant activity, often by over 30%. A lack of husk for wheat or rye reduced the crystallinity index of spent grain by 21–41%, while the roasting of barley efficiently decomposed the less stable compounds and maintained the cellulose crystalline structure. All the analyzed BSG samples were characterized by low volatile emissions and very limited antimicrobial activity. Therefore, their harmfulness to human health and the environment is limited, broadening their potential application range.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/13/2809brewing industrybrewers’ spent grainwaste managementchemical compositionantioxidant properties
spellingShingle Aleksander Hejna
Joanna Aniśko-Michalak
Katarzyna Skórczewska
Mateusz Barczewski
Paweł Sulima
Jerzy Andrzej Przyborowski
Hubert Cieśliński
Mariusz Marć
Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile Emissions
Molecules
brewing industry
brewers’ spent grain
waste management
chemical composition
antioxidant properties
title Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile Emissions
title_full Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile Emissions
title_fullStr Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile Emissions
title_full_unstemmed Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile Emissions
title_short Brewers’ Spent Grain from Different Types of Malt: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Appearance, Structure, Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Volatile Emissions
title_sort brewers spent grain from different types of malt a comprehensive evaluation of appearance structure chemical composition antimicrobial activity and volatile emissions
topic brewing industry
brewers’ spent grain
waste management
chemical composition
antioxidant properties
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/13/2809
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