Composition and methods for preparing hemicellulose-rich extract from spend coffee ground

Abstract

Methods of preparing a hemicellulose-product and a holocellulose-product from a carbohydrate-rich material, including spend coffee grounds, are described. Hemicellulose-products and holocellulose-products produced according to these methods are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a holocellulose product, the method comprising:
 combining an aqueous slurry of a carbohydrate-rich material with an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution;   separating a solid fraction from a liquid fraction of the alkaline hydrogen peroxide treated slurry; and   washing the solid fraction to produce a holocellulose product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate-rich material is spend coffee grounds. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a step of defatting the aqueous slurry by adding an organic solvent to the aqueous slurry prior to the step of adding an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, prior to combining the spend coffee grounds with the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution, combining the spend coffee grounds with ethanol and water for a sufficient time to remove lipophilic and hydrophilic components from the spend coffee grounds. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising recovering water insoluble fibers from the solid fraction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water insoluble fibers are delignified and decolored. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution is added in the combining step such that an amount of hydrogen peroxide added is 1-5% w/w based on a total weight of the aqueous slurry. 
     
     
         8 . A holocellulose product produced according to the method of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         9 . A hemicellulose product, the hemicellulose product obtained by a method comprising:
 treating an aqueous slurry of spend coffee grounds with an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution;   separating a solid fraction from a liquid fraction of the alkaline hydrogen peroxide treated slurry;   adjusting the pH of the liquid fraction to a pH between about 4.0-6.0 using a pH adjusting agent;   combining an alcohol solution with the pH adjusted liquid fraction so as to precipitate a hemicellulose product; and   drying the hemicellulose product.   
     
     
         10 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the method for obtaining the hemicellulose product further comprises a step of defatting the aqueous slurry by adding an organic solvent to the aqueous slurry prior to the step of adding an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution. 
     
     
         11 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the method for obtaining the hemicellulose product further comprises, prior to combining the spend coffee grounds with the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution, combining the spend coffee grounds with ethanol and water for a sufficient time to remove lipophilic and hydrophilic components from the spend coffee grounds. 
     
     
         12 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the method for obtaining the hemicellulose product further comprises a step of purifying the dried hemicellulose product. 
     
     
         13 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the step of purifying the dried hemicellulose product comprises steps of dissolving the dried hemicellulose product in an aqueous solution and purifying the dissolved hemicellulose product by membrane filtration or by column chromatography. 
     
     
         14 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the method for obtaining the hemicellulose product further comprises a defatting step by adding an organic solvent to the concentrated pH adjusted solution prior to the step of precipitating the hemicellulose product. 
     
     
         15 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the method for obtaining the hemicellulose product further comprises a step of defatting the aqueous slurry by adding an organic solvent to the aqueous slurry prior to the step of adding an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution. 
     
     
         16 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the method for obtaining the hemicellulose product further comprises a step of concentrating the liquid fraction. 
     
     
         17 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 16 , wherein the concentrating step is carried out using a vacuum rotavapor or by membrane filtration. 
     
     
         18 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 15 , wherein the method for obtaining the hemicellulose product further comprises:
 dissolving the precipitated hemicellulose product in an aqueous solution;   adding an organic solvent to the hemicellulose aqueous solution so as to remove fat from the solution; and   drying the defatted hemicellulose product.   
     
     
         19 . The hemicellulose product of  claim 9 , wherein the product comprising galactose in an amount of about 62%-94%, arabinose in an amount of about 9%-14%, and mannose in an amount of about −3.3%-5.1% and having a molecular weight in a range of about at least 2 kDa to about 200 kDa. 
     
     
         20 . A hemicellulose product comprising galactose in an amount of about 62%-94%, arabinose in an amount of about 9%-14%, and mannose in an amount of about −3.3%-5.1% and having a molecular weight in a range of about at least 2 kDa to about 200 kDa.