Recent advances in biotechnological valorization of brewers' spent grain

Abstract

Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is the most abundantby-product of beer-brewing. BSG is rich in nutrients suchas protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and therefore it isconventionally used as low-cost animal feed. On the otherhand, alternative utilization of BSG has gained increasedattention during recent years due to technological progressin its processing and the emergence of the concept of circulareconomy. The valorization of BSG through biotechnologicalapproaches is environmentally friendly andsustainable. This review was focused on recent advancementsin the conversion of BSG into value-added products,including bioenergy (ethanol, butanol, hydrogen, biodiesel,and biogas), organic acids, enzymes, xylitol, oligosaccharides,and single cell protein, via biotechnologicalapproaches. In addition, the potential applications of BSGas immobilization matrices in bioprocesses have beenreviewed.