Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) and distillers’ spent grains (DSG) are nutrient-rich by-products with strong potential for valorisation as functional food ingredients. In this study, both by-products were enzymatically hydrolysed using eight commercial proteases, and the resulting hydrolysates were evaluated for their compositional, techno-functional, and bioactive properties. Enzymatic treatment enhanced protein recovery, improved solubility, and enhanced functional properties, including oil absorption, foaming, and emulsifying capacity, compared with untreated materials. The hydrolysates also exhibited antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Overall, the study demonstrates that enzymatic bioconversion is an effective strategy for upgrading BSG and DSG into value-added bioactive ingredients, supporting sustainable resource utilisation and circular economy principles.
Osei et al. (Thu,) studied this question.