Integral utilisation of barley husk for the production of food additives

A new and effective chemical-biotechnological process for the global utilisation of barley husk (obtained from the spent grains in the brewing process) is reported. With the proposed process the three main components of the lignocellulosic residue (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) are utilised. A first treatment with sulfuric acid (pre-hydrolysis) allowed the solubilisation of hemicelluloses to give xylose and glucose-containing liquors (suitable to make fermentation media for the continuous lactic acid (LA) production with L. pentosus) and a solid phase containing cellulose and lignin. In this set of experiments, a maximum volumetric productivity (Q(P)) = 2.077 g L-1 h(-1) and product yield (Y (P/S)) = 0.62 g g(-1) were obtained for a dilution rate of 0.01 h(-1). The solid residues from pre-hydrolysis were treated with NaOH in order to increase their cellulase digestibility, and dissolve the lignin content. The cellulose residue was used as substrates for lactic acid production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) in media containing Trichoderma reesei cellulases and Lactobacillus rhamnosus cells using the complete MRS broth or a cheaper medium. In both cases similar LA concentrations and volumetric productivities were achieved (P = 73.4-71.0 g L-1 and Q(P) = 1.28-1.25 g L-1 h(-1) respectively), where P is LA concentration. The lignin solution obtained after the alkaline treatment was extracted with ethyl acetate in order to obtain the phenolic components. The extract obtained at pH 3 showed three times more antioxidant activity than the one extracted at pH 12.8, with an EC50 of 1.396 g L-1 for pH 3 and 4.604 g L-1 for pH 12.8. The best extracts showed twice antioxidant activity than BHT. (c) 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.