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The extraction of prebiotic from spent coffee grounds

Abstract

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) are a byproduct of the coffee brewing process, and their quantity continues to increase due to the growing global coffee consumption. SCG contain beneficial compounds such as polysaccharides, dietary fibers, and antioxidants, which can be utilized in various applications, including prebiotic extraction. This study focuses on extracting prebiotics from SCG using acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis methods to evaluate their potential in promoting the growth of beneficial gut microorganisms. The expected results of this research include adding value to coffee industry waste, reducing organic waste, and providing a sustainable approach to developing prebiotic products for use in the food and health industries. Furthermore, this study aligns with sustainable resource utilization and environmentally friendly practices.

Objective

กาแฟเป็นหนึ่งในสินค้าทางการเกษตรที่มีการบริโภคและผลิตเป็นจำนวนมากทั่วโลก ส่งผลให้เกิดของเสียจากกระบวนการผลิตอย่าง “กากกาแฟ” ในปริมาณมหาศาล กากกาแฟมักถูกทิ้งเป็นขยะอินทรีย์ ซึ่งอาจส่งผลกระทบต่อสิ่งแวดล้อมโดยตรงและทางอ้อม อย่างไรก็ตาม กากกาแฟมีสารประกอบที่เป็นประโยชน์ เช่น โพลีแซ็กคาไรด์ เส้นใยอาหาร และสารฟีนอลิก ซึ่งสามารถนำมาใช้ประโยชน์ในหลายด้าน เช่น การผลิตปุ๋ยหมัก การสกัดสารต้านอนุมูลอิสระ และการผลิตพลังงานชีวภาพ หนึ่งในแนวทางที่ได้รับความสนใจคือการสกัดพรีไบโอติกจากกากกาแฟ เนื่องจากพรีไบโอติกมีบทบาทสำคัญในการส่งเสริมสุขภาพทางเดินอาหาร โดยช่วยกระตุ้นการเจริญเติบโตของจุลินทรีย์ที่มีประโยชน์ เช่น แลคโตบาซิลลัสและบิฟิโดแบคทีเรีย ซึ่งช่วยเสริมภูมิคุ้มกันและลดความเสี่ยงของโรคต่าง ๆ การนำกากกาแฟมาใช้ในการสกัดพรีไบโอติกจึงเป็นแนวทางที่ไม่เพียงช่วยลดปริมาณขยะและใช้ทรัพยากรอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ แต่ยังเป็นวิธีที่ยั่งยืนและเป็นมิตรต่อสิ่งแวดล้อม

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