Valorization and Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Spent Coffee Grounds
Summary
Spent coffee grounds (SCG) represent one of the most abundant agro-industrial residues worldwide, generated in coffee processing and consumption at an estimated tens of millions of tonnes per annum. Rich in lignocellulosic fractions (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), lipids, proteins and diverse secondary metabolites, SCG have emerged as a renewable feedstock for the recovery of high-value bioactive compounds. Valorisation strategies encompass physical, chemical and biological treatments—ranging from solvent-based extraction, hydrothermal and pressurised liquid methods through to enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and encapsulation—to isolate antioxidants (notably polyphenols, melanoidins and peptides), antimicrobial agents, and nutraceutical precursors. Beyond extraction yield, emerging research places strong emphasis on eco-efficiency, assessing solvent selection, process parameters and environmental footprints to ensure sustainable scale-up. Applications span functional foods, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and agricultural amendments, underscoring global significance in circular-economy frameworks. Integrating life-cycle thinking and green solvents has proven crucial in minimising waste, reducing energy consumption and producing extracts with enhanced biological activity, thereby transforming SCG from environmental burden into versatile resource.
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Valorization and Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Spent Coffee Grounds publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in valorization and extraction of bioactive compounds from spent coffee grounds across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bioactive compound: A molecule that exerts a beneficial effect on living tissues, including antioxidants, antimicrobials or signalling modulators.
Polyphenols: A class of plant-derived secondary metabolites characterised by multiple phenolic rings, renowned for their antioxidant properties.
Deep eutectic solvent (DES): A designer solvent composed of hydrogen-bond donors and acceptors that forms a eutectic mixture with a melting point below those of its constituents, used for green extraction.
Life cycle assessment (LCA): A systematic methodology for quantifying environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life, from raw material sourcing to end-of-life disposal.
References
- Spent coffee ground: transformation from environmental burden into valuable bioactive metabolites. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology (2023).
- Innovative technologies used to convert spent coffee grounds into new food ingredients: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects. Future Foods (2023).
- Life cycle assessment and yield to optimize extraction time and solvent: Comparing deep eutectic solvents vs conventional ones. The Science of The Total Environment (2024).
- Life cycle environmental sustainability of valorisation routes for spent coffee grounds: From waste to resources. Resources Conservation and Recycling (2020).
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