Poster Presentation 1A-13

Chemical Characterization of Coffee Rind:

a Plentiful Residue that can be used in Biotechnological Processes

Giovani B. M. Carvalho*, Elisângela J. Candido, Walter Carvalho,

Giuliano Dragone and João B. Almeida e Silva

Department of Biotechnology

 Faculty of Chemical Engineering of Lorena

Rodovia Itajubá-Lorena, km 74.5, 12.600-000 Lorena, S.P., Brazil

Phone:  +55-12-3159-5009

Fax:  +55-12-3153-3133

E-mail: gbmafra@yahoo.com.br

Today there is a great deal of work focused on the development of technologies that allow an integrated use of lignocellulosic residues. The carbohydrates contained in such residues can be used as substrates in bioconversion processes to produce several value-added products such as xylitol.  Xylitol, a special sweetener obtained from xylose, has anticarcinogenic properties and can be used by obese and diabetic people. Our research group has been pursuing the development of a feasible technology for xylitol bioproduction from different lignocellulosic materials such as wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, and Eucalyptus wood chips. Coffee rind is another lignocellulosic residue generated in large amounts in Brazil. Therefore, its hemicellulosic fraction could be profitably hydrolyzed and used for xylitol bioproduction. In the present study, a sample of coffee rind obtained from a local farm (Fazenda Água Limpa, Cristina, M.G., Brasil) has been chemically characterized regarding the contents of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and ash.  The coffee rind presented a relatively high content of carbohydrates (approximately 54.31%), thus demonstrating its potential as a source of carbohydrates for use in bioconversion processes.