Brewing process development by integration of edible filamentous fungi to upgrade the quality of brewer’s spent grain (BSG)

Abstract

Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) is the main solid by-product of the brewing sector. High moisture and nutrient-rich content render BSG easily perishable, leading to waste generation and environmental impacts. BSG has narrow applications in both feed and food sectors due to its composition including high fiber and low protein. Therefore, a processing strategy leading to the nutritional valorization of BSG could widen its applications. In this study, submerged cultivation of edible filamentous fungi (Aspergillus oryzae, Neurospora intermedia, and Rhizopus delemar) was introduced as a strategy to enhance the protein content of BSG. The growth of all strains in BSG increased the protein content of the fermented BSG. The highest increase of protein content (from 22.6% to 34.6%), was obtained by cultivation using A. oryzae and medium supplementation. The protein content increase was followed by a decrease in the content of polysaccharides (up to ca. 50%), namely starch, glucan, xylan, and arabinan. The addition of cellulase resulted in enhanced ethanol production from BSG but led to lower concentration of recovered solids. In conclusion, simple processing of BSG using edible filamentous fungi can lead to quality improvement of BSG, providing potential economic and environmental benefits to the brewing sector.