UNAM researchers probe methods to turn food waste into nutritious beer
Mexico is already the world's top beer exporter, and if the UNAM project is successful, it will have a new product to sell abroad: beer enhanced with fruit flavors and nutrition. The post UNAM researchers probe methods to turn food waste into nutritious beer appeared first on Mexico News Daily
Researchers at Mexico's National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) are exploring innovative ways to transform food waste into nutritious beer. The Chemistry Department operates a pilot plant, focusing on adding "adjuncts" — carbohydrate-rich ingredients — to complement malt during the brewing process. The initiative aims to reduce organic waste, cut costs, and enhance the nutritional profile of the beverage, while maintaining an alcohol content of no more than 8%.
Overripe bananas, a common source of waste in Mexico, have been a key ingredient, with around 2,000 metric tons discarded annually. Bananas provide high potassium, dietary fiber, and fermentable sugars. The team has also experimented with other seasonal foods like pumpkin, amaranth, sweet potato, and cassava, each adding unique flavors, colors, and nutrients to the beer.
Banana-based beer maintains a fixed ratio of 25% fruit to 75% barley malt to ensure the right flavor balance. Mexico is the world's fourth-largest beer producer, exporting 80% of its 2 million hectoliters annually. Beyond research, UNAM's Chemistry Department offers a diploma course in Beer Science and Technology, training the next generation of specialists in the field.
Written by urgent.news from Mexico News Daily's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
