Waste hop stem in the beer industry upcycled into cellulose nanofibers

Date:July 5, 2021

Country: Japan

Application

• The main applications of this project include using hop stem-derived cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics in industries like automotive, housing, food, and cosmetics. Additionally, CNFs can be used to reduce the need for synthetic surfactants in emulsions.

Description

Researchers at Yokohama National University have developed an innovative process to upcycle waste hop stems from beer production into cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) using a TEMPO-mediated oxidation technique. Typically discarded or burned, hop stems account for 75% of the hop plant biomass. The CNFs extracted from these stems are highly sustainable and can be used as eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based plastics in industries such as automotive, housing, food, and cosmetics. This breakthrough not only reduces waste in the beer industry but also offers an alternative to wood as a source for CNFs, contributing to environmental sustainability.

Pathway Description:

Involves extracting cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from waste hop stems through TEMPO-mediated oxidation. This technique uses the TEMPO reagent to selectively oxidize the cellulose in the hop stems, which are then mechanically disintegrated to produce CNFs. The process reduces the need for extensive pretreatment to remove lignin and hemicellulose, making it more efficient for extracting high-quality CNFs from hop stems