Gluten-free Flour from Used Coffee Grounds Wins SnackFutures ‘Shark Tank’ Award

Celiac.com 05/28/2019 - Denmark-based start-up Kaffe Bueno recycles used coffee grounds into oils for skin care products, but they are also suitable for use as sweeteners, natural colorings and preservatives in foods and beverages.

The company also makes a flour from the coffee grounds, which can be used to fortify baked goods. They source used coffee grounds from cafes and hotels in Copenhagen, and then use a biotechnology process to extract the oils which leaves behind a naturally gluten-free coffee flour.

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According to the company, the oil extraction process removes most of the coffee flavor, resulting in a flour with a nutty, caramel, chocolatey taste that can complement many products.

Kaffe Bueno claims its coffee flour contains three times the protein per gram than almond flour, less calories than buckwheat flour, less fat than coconut flour, more fiber than wholegrain wheat flour, and more potassium than a banana.

The resulting flour is both green, and potentially lucrative. In 2018, people worldwide consumed nine billion kilos of coffee, yet just 1% of the beneficial compounds were used. The other 99% gets treated as waste, and usually ends up in landfills where it decomposes and creates methane.

Used coffee grounds are packed with bioactive compounds that contain anti-proliferative, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects.

Article Image credit: Coffee Caffeine Info