Spent Coffee Grounds Show Global Promise As Source Of Fiber And Proteins

Most people toss their spent coffee grounds into the trash after brewing a pot. Some carefully save them to add to the compost pile for use in next spring’s vegetable garden. But what do food manufacturers do with the six million tons of spent coffee grounds used globally to make instant coffee? Scientists have explored their use in biofuels, composts, animal feed and enzymes. Now a Spanish study suggests that spent industrial coffee grounds could be a source of antioxidants, insoluble dietary fiber, proteins, essential amino acids and low-glycemic sugars that could be used in future baked goods. The researchers said use of spent coffee grounds as healthy food ingredient is “a contribution to the bio-economy and the reduction of the environmental impact of the coffee processing.”