By-Product Valorization as a Means for the Brewing Industry to Move toward a Circular Bioeconomy

Abstract

Beer production consumes significant amounts of water, energy, and raw materials, and results in the production of various by-products, including wastewater, brewers’ spent grain, yeast and hop. To lower its environmental footprint, by-products may be reclaimed or valorized in agro-food, cosmetic, material, chemical industries, etc. According to most recent research, breweries have the potential to become biorefineries, as they can extract diverse valuable plant-based compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, phenolic compounds, platform chemicals, and biopolymers. These biomolecules possess bioactive and physicochemical properties, which can be enhanced through recovery processes. Brewery by-products may be utilized in various industries within the bioeconomy frame. In agro-food systems, extracts can increase final products’ techno-functionalities. Such additives can also help in creating marketing labels such as clean-label healthy, which can further attract potential customers. Businesses can gain economic and socio-environmental benefits by implementing sustainable practices, which can also improve their corporate image. This article outlines recent advancements in the processing and valorization of brewery by-products, ultimately defining an up-to-date, sustainable strategy for clean beer production.