Scientists grow yeast for beer making using spent grains

From: FoodBev

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (NTU Singapore) have invented a new process to turn spent brewery grains into a valuable product that can grow beer yeast.

Spent grain amounts to as much as 85% of a brewery’s waste. This is of little value, so the discarded grain is often used as compost or for animal feed. Researchers at the university said the new conversion process turns brewer’s waste into a valuable liquid nutrient, as similar commercial liquid nutrients are sold for $30 per litre.

In comparison, the research team’s upcycled liquid nutrient is produced at only a fraction of the cost.

The innovation has drawn the interest of several international beverage companies including Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) in Singapore.

Professor William Chen, director of NTU’s Food Science and Technology Programme, is now in talks with companies to license or commercialise the technology.

“We have developed a way to use food-grade microorganisms to convert the spent grains into basic nutrients that can be easily consumed by yeast,” he said.

“About 85% of the waste in brewing beer can now be turned into a valuable resource, helping breweries to reduce waste and production cost while becoming more self-sustainable.”

Researchers said that there is a need to innovate in creating foods and processes to alleviate the increasing demand from a burgeoning global population.

NTU claimed that over 193 billion litres of beer are produced annually worldwide, generating some 39 million tonnes of spent grain. For every five litres of beer produced, one kg of spent grain is created.

Head of corporate affairs at APB Singapore Mitchell Leow said: “This research is a testament to how science and innovation enables companies to find novel ways to be more sustainable in their operations.
 
“Sustainability is a business priority, especially for a large-scale commercial brewery like APB Singapore. We take great efforts to reduce our waste footprint, through such circular processes that ensure materials like spent grain, glass bottles, and even waste water are repurposed and not simply discarded.”

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