A Novel and Simpler Alkaline Hydrolysis Methodology for Extraction of Ferulic Acid from Brewer’s Spent Grain and its (Partial) Purification through Adsorption in a Synthetic Resin

Abstract

This work aims to develop simpler methodologies of extracting ferulic acid (FA) from brewer’s spent grain (BSG). BSG is produced by brewing companies at high amounts all over the year and does not possess a direct application. Thus, its use as raw material for extraction of bioactive compounds has gained attention in the last years. FA has different interesting applications in cosmetics, food industry, and pharmaceutics. Several studies aim for its extraction from BSG by various methods, namely alkaline hydrolysis. In the present work, we suggest the use of autoclave to process higher amounts of BSG in a lab scale. A simplification of the regular post-hydrolysis procedures is also proposed to decrease the number of experimental steps and energy costs and to simultaneously increase the extraction yield (up to 470 mg of FA per 100 g of BSG). The adsorption of extracted FA in a synthetic resin is suggested as a partial purification method.

Keywords

• ferulic acid
• brewer’s spent grain
• alkaline hydrolysis
• adsorption
• synthetic resin