Off-flavor removal from fermented cane coffee wastewater using adsorption, ultrafiltration, and vacuum distillation
A cost-effective treatment process using adsorption, ultrafiltration, and vacuum distillation to remove off-flavors, undesirable aromas, and alcohols from fermented cane coffee wastewater while preserving sugars and electrolytes. Applicable to food, beverage, and ingredient production.
Overview
This research proposes a three-stage treatment process to upgrade fermented cane coffee wastewater (FC CCW), a byproduct of coffee processing, into a higher-value ingredient stream. By applying adsorption, ultrafiltration, and vacuum distillation sequentially, the process targets removal of off-flavors, undesirable aromas, and residual alcohols while preserving the sugars and electrolytes that give FC CCW its functional value. The result is a cleaner, more market-ready material suitable for incorporation into food, beverage, nutraceutical, and fermentation applications.
Technical specifications
The proposed process combines three complementary technologies:
- Adsorption (AD): Treatment with activated carbon, clays, alumina, zeolites, and/or resins to remove peroxides, low-molecular-weight oxidative compounds, organic molecules, and coloring agents. The research team will evaluate different adsorbents, concentrations, and temperatures to identify optimal conditions.
- Ultrafiltration (UF): Membrane-based filtration to remove proteins, colloids, polyphenolics, enzymes, and additional off-flavor compounds from the adsorbed FC CCW. Different membrane conditions will be tested for efficiency.
- Vacuum distillation (VD): Low-temperature distillation (around 35°C) to remove alcohols such as ethanol without degrading heat-sensitive flavor compounds, preserving the original sensory profile.
Validation approach: Initial and final physico-chemical properties will be measured, including pH, Brix, titratable acidity, turbidity, color, minerals, peroxides, protein content, volatile compounds via GC-MS, and sensory attributes. All three technologies are widely used in commercial food and beverage processing and are considered relatively straightforward to scale up.
Technology readiness level
The underlying technologies (adsorption, ultrafiltration, and vacuum distillation) are individually well-established in commercial food, beverage, and ingredient manufacturing. The research team has prior experience applying adsorption and ultrafiltration to fruit juices and food-grade oils. The current work focuses on adapting and validating these technologies specifically for FC CCW, including screening adsorbents, optimizing ultrafiltration conditions, and tuning vacuum distillation parameters. Future validation will generate comprehensive analytical and sensory data to confirm that the integrated process preserves sugars and electrolytes while effectively removing off-flavors and alcohols, supporting future scale-up and commercialization.
About University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a comprehensive public land‑grant research university serving a large student body across multiple campuses, known for applied scholarship and community partnership. Industry partners access core facilities and pilot‑scale capabilities—including the Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center—for prototyping, scale‑up, and product validation. A downtown Innovation District and a statewide Cooperative Extension network link campus expertise to companies across Georgia, while proximity to Atlanta’s corporate and logistics hubs lowers barriers to engagement. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, USDA, and DOE. A dedicated technology transfer office provides IP services, licensing, startup support, and incubator space to accelerate commercialization.
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