Swedish research project upcycles brewer’s spent grain into functional food ingredient

A research project in Sweden is bringing together actors along brewing and baking value chains to transform brewer’s spent grain (BSG), a by-product of beer brewing, into a new ingredient for food production. 

Brewed and Renewed aims to develop methods for handling, processing, and using brewer’s spent grain to create bread and breakfast cereals. The Swedish research institute RISE leads the project, including participation from Axfood, Axfoundation, Bageri Gruppen, Carlsberg Sverige, Elajo, and Fazer.

Food Ingredients First sits down with Juan Carrillo, business development director at Elajo Technology Solutions, to understand the technical aspects of utilizing BSG in new food formats while maintaining or improving taste, texture, and nutritional footprints in end products.

“One of the critical steps in processing BSG is controlling its moisture content, as high-water activity leads to undesirable fermentation, mold growth, and microbial contamination. To prevent this, the BSG is subjected to drying processes that reduce moisture to below 10%, significantly extending shelf life without compromising nutritional value.”

He tells us that Elajo contributes technical expertise in designing energy-efficient drying systems tailored to wet by-products like BSG to the project.

“The technology ensures that the drying process is gentle and controlled, preserving not only the nutritional profile, particularly proteins and fibers, but also the organoleptic properties (color, aroma, and flavor), crucial for later food applications,” Carrillo explains.

Challenges in upcycling spent grain for food

Climate shocks have exposed the vulnerabilities running deep within the global food system. For example, food production accounts for over one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions while being the largest contributor to biodiversity loss. Moreover, industrial food production often results in large amounts of residual streams.

Brewing a liter of beer results in approximately 180 g of BSG. The research team estimates that roughly 80,000 metric tons of spent grain are produced in Sweden annually, which is currently used in animal feed, biogas, or composting. However, globally, many of these leftovers end up in landfills, generating greenhouse gases.

The project notes that while some efforts are being made to use spent grain in food applications, the scale remains small. The product reportedly contains protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can be integrated into various foods at a much larger scale to offer increased functionality.

However, scaling up presents several challenges, including intricate handling requirements.

With partners from the retail, distribution, and bakery sectors and a “stable and traceable” source of BSG from Carlsberg Sverige, Carrillo says commercial challenges will be easier to overcome.

“This collaboration addresses the full value chain — from sidestream generation to consumer-facing products. Each partner brings unique expertise to break down the traditional silos that often limit scalability. This end-to-end partnership model will help reduce waste, optimize ingredient sourcing, and accelerate the commercial adoption of upcycled ingredients.”

Sensory testing to deliver taste and texture

Furthermore, due to its high fiber content, spent grain can leave an unwanted mark on the taste and texture of the end product if not processed correctly.

Brewer’s spent grain (Image credit: Carlsberg Sverige).“Consumer acceptance is a top priority for the project. To ensure foods made with BSG are appealing regarding taste, texture, and appearance, the team is working closely with Bageri Gruppen to develop and test product formulations across different categories, such as bread, snacks, and cereals,” says Carrillo.

“The approach includes sensory testing with consumer panels to refine taste and texture; functional analysis to identify optimal inclusion levels of BSG without compromising dough performance or product integrity; and pilot-scale trials to adapt the recipes to industrial processes.”

“By integrating BSG thoughtfully and using complementary ingredients, the goal is to develop products that are not only nutritious and sustainable but also meet consumer expectations for quality.”

Previous lessons and the future

The project will build on results from previous research probing the potential of brewer’s spent grain as a food ingredient in pasta, bread, and cereals.

Carrillo says lessons include insights on the importance of particle size and milling techniques to ensure smooth texture and visual appeal and identify optimal inclusion ratios to balance nutrition with palatability.

He adds that early-stage consumer feedback highlighted the need for mild flavors and familiar formats.

“These findings are being directly applied and expanded in Brewed and Renewed, particularly in new product categories with diverse sidestreams from multiple partners. Additionally, the team is integrating retail insights from Axfood to align product development with market demand and consumer preferences.”

The project will measure success across environmental impact, nutritional value, and commercial viability to advance circular food systems in Europe.

Carrillo shares that the team aims to launch at least two market-ready product lines by 2026 and offer a scalable processing model adaptable to other food sidestreams.