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Special Issues
Sustainable Brewing: Innovations in Adjuncts, Flavor Recovery, and Technologies
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Sustainable Brewing: Innovations in Adjuncts, Flavor Recovery, and Technologies

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Drinks and Liquid Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 2887

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Juliana Bonametti Olivato

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departament of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Ponta Grossa, Av. Carlos Cavalcanti 4748, Ponta Grossa, Parana 84030–900, Brazil
Interests: food technology; biodegradable polymers; bioactive compounds; by-products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marianne A. Shirai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Post-Graduation Program of Food Technology, Federal University of Technology—Parana, Av. João Miguel Caram 731, Londrina, Parana 86036-700, Brazil
Interests: bioactive compounds; coating; films; microencapsulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Juliano Zanela

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agronomy School, Federal University of Technology—Paraná, Estrada para Boa Esperança, Km 04, Dois Vizinhos 85660-000, PR, Brazil
Interests: bioactive compounds; active packaging; biodegradable films or coatings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The industry is continuously searching for methods to guarantee the sustainability of its processes. The process of beer production on a global scale is the subject of many studies aimed at optimizing it and adopting sustainable practices. The goal of sustainable brewing is to reduce environmental impacts and improve economic efficiency. Smart waste management, the circular economy, and emission reduction are frequently a part of innovative practices. Recent innovations in sustainable brewing include the use of real-time olfactory chemical monitoring with electronic sensors, AI platforms to interpret human and instrumental sensory data, selection of alternative adjuncts for aroma and body changes, water reuse and heat recovery circuits to reduce energy consumption, reuse and valorisation of byproducts (bagasse, peels), completing the production cycle.

In this Special Issue we encourage the submission of manuscripts that focus on flavour recovery, sustainability and waste management practices in brewing, as well as recent and advanced technologies applied to sustainable production.

Dr. Juliana Bonametti Olivato
Dr. Marianne A. Shirai
Dr. Juliano Zanela
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainability beer
  • byproduct
  • circular economy
  • upcycling
  • value-addition
  • biorefinery

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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34 pages, 15028 KB  
Article
Turning Disposed into Disposable—Development of Single-Use Products from Underutilized Brewery Wastes
by Aleksander Hejna and Mateusz Barczewski
Foods 2026, 15(5), 860; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15050860 - 4 Mar 2026
Viewed by 720
Abstract
Although the market recently shifted toward low- or non-alcoholic drinks, the beer sector is an important branch of industry in Europe. It stimulates local economies and communities, thereby justifying the need for its development. Both economic and environmental benefits could be achieved through [...] Read more.
Although the market recently shifted toward low- or non-alcoholic drinks, the beer sector is an important branch of industry in Europe. It stimulates local economies and communities, thereby justifying the need for its development. Both economic and environmental benefits could be achieved through proper management of the generated by-products, enabling them to stay in a loop. Such an approach aligns with currently postulated sustainability-oriented trends. Herein, a solution for the simultaneous management of the two main by-products of beer production is described. The spent yeast (SY) was used as a potential binder for brewers’ spent grain (BSG)-based products, representing a highly innovative solution given the state of the art. Using SY without treatment or with minimal addition of common organic acids (citric, succinic, and tartaric) enabled efficient bonding of the final product. It yielded properties similar to those of commercial counterparts, with a flexural modulus exceeding 1 GPa and a flexural strength exceeding 6 MPa. Because of the nature of the applied raw materials and their inherent moisture sensitivity (water contact angle < 50°), the final product was coated with vegetable oil. The applied coating, after thermooxidation-induced crosslinking, protected against moisture and humidity (water contact angle > 80°), potentially broadening its application range. The application potential was confirmed from a technical point of view through the efficient manufacturing of disposable plates. Nevertheless, their implementation in industrial practice must be preceded by meeting proper criteria for food-contact materials related to the stability and odor of the plates and coatings and migration of their components into food products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Brewing: Innovations in Adjuncts, Flavor Recovery, and Technologies)
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21 pages, 2171 KB  
Article
Production of Gluten-Free Craft Beers of High Antioxidant and Sensory Quality
by Antonietta Baiano, Teresa De Pilli and Anna Fiore
Foods 2026, 15(2), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15020379 - 21 Jan 2026
Viewed by 765
Abstract
Usually, gluten-free “beers” are produced by replacing cereals containing gluten with substitutes that do not contain it or, alternatively, through enzymatic, precipitation, and/or clarification steps. The research was aimed at increasing the concentration of antioxidant compounds and improving the sensory quality of gluten-free [...] Read more.
Usually, gluten-free “beers” are produced by replacing cereals containing gluten with substitutes that do not contain it or, alternatively, through enzymatic, precipitation, and/or clarification steps. The research was aimed at increasing the concentration of antioxidant compounds and improving the sensory quality of gluten-free craft beers produced from gluten-containing raw materials according to a patented brewing method that represented the starting point of the research. The experiments were organized to evaluate the effects of original combinations of four brewing procedures (Strong, Light, Very Light, Ultra-Light—differing from each other by grains/water ratio, hops/water ratio, protein rest, and boiling time), three yeast strains (M21, K97, S33), and a possible dry hopping. The beer gluten contents ranged from <5 to 13.90 mg/L. The maximum total phenolic content (200 mg/L) was detected in beers produced by combining the Light procedure, inoculation with M21 strain, and dry hopping. The highest overall sensory quality scores (4.0) were assigned to the beers obtained through the Light and Ultra-Light procedures, fermented by M21 and S33 strains, and dry hopped. Dry hopping was the main factor capable of differentiating the beers, increasing antioxidant content and improving perlage, foam characteristics, the intensity of many olfactory and gustatory characteristics, and the overall sensory quality. The brewing procedure affected all the physico-chemical indices and most sensory characteristics, except for color, citrous and spicy flavors, sweetness, effervescence, and body. The use of different yeasts did not impart significant differences for most of the variables considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Brewing: Innovations in Adjuncts, Flavor Recovery, and Technologies)
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Review

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17 pages, 1367 KB  
Review
Research Progress on Raw Materials, Adjuncts, and Flavor Formation in Craft Beer
by Yanping Xu, Xudong Zhao, Yan Zhang, Hao Ren, Linting Zhang, Jianxiang Yi, Xiaonian Cao and Qiang Li
Foods 2026, 15(8), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15081358 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 754
Abstract
Today, consumers’ growing demand for higher-quality beer and their desire for unique sensory experiences are propelling the craft beer movement into a new trend within the beer industry’s production and consumption landscape. Unlike traditional beers with their single-ingredient combinations, craft beers innovatively incorporate [...] Read more.
Today, consumers’ growing demand for higher-quality beer and their desire for unique sensory experiences are propelling the craft beer movement into a new trend within the beer industry’s production and consumption landscape. Unlike traditional beers with their single-ingredient combinations, craft beers innovatively incorporate special functional adjuncts. These adjuncts produce unique aromas and nutritional value during fermentation, primarily manifested in flavor compounds such as alcohols, esters, and organic acids. However, current craft beer production faces challenges like extended fermentation cycles and flavor instability, limiting the development of its distinctive characteristics. This paper is the first to focus on analyzing the relationship between raw material and adjuncts characteristics and flavor formation in craft beer, aiming to provide innovative insights for the transformation and upgrading of the traditional beer industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Brewing: Innovations in Adjuncts, Flavor Recovery, and Technologies)
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