Using a leftover from brewing to make highly nutritious cereal bars

Beer bagasse, a residue resulting from the process of pressing and filtering the must of the barley grain, could be the basis of a new cereal bar rich in protein and fiber.

Researchers from the National Universities of Hurlingham, Quilmes and Arturo Jauretche, located in Florencio Varela, all of them from Argentina, are working on this.

The director of the project is Lina Merino, a doctor in Biological Sciences, who works as a professor and researcher in Food Microbiology and Toxicology at the aforementioned University of Hurlingham.

In addition, kefir granules would be added to the beer bagasse, which are generated as a surplus from the production of the fermented beverage of the same name.

These granules are an important source of live microorganisms that are added to a food and that remain active in the intestine exerting important physiological and probiotic effects; that is, they are supplements that have live microorganisms that help maintain or improve the good bacteria in the body, especially the intestinal flora.

Barley in a farm field. (Photo: Christine Painter/CSIRO)

Merino announced that the objective is to achieve a “low-cost and accessible product for the most vulnerable socioeconomic populations, which also includes the reuse of the surplus of other foods, so it also has a positive environmental impact.”

“Part of the research process has to do with looking for different binders so that the bar has consistency and can be kept as long as possible, in addition to the analysis of the nutritional and microbiological composition of the product,” he added.

In addition, he explained that “sensory studies to observe the acceptability of the product” are also planned. The objective is that the bar has a good flavor and texture, among other things, so that the greatest reception among the population is achieved. (Source: Argentina Investiga / Arturo Jauretche National University)