Spent coffee grounds: A review on current research and future prospects

Abstract

Spent coffee ground (SCG) contains large amounts of organic compounds (i.e. fatty acids, amino acids, polyphenols, minerals and polysaccharides) that justify its valorization. Earlier innovation explored the extraction of specific components such as oil, flavor, terpenes, and alcohols as value-added products. However, by-products of coffee fruit and bean processing can also be considered as potential functional ingredients for the food industry. There is an urgent need for practical and innovative ideas to use this low cost SCG and exploit its full potential increasing the overall sustainability of the coffee agro-industry.