P2269@com.qz.se ("ENG-LEONG FOO ", MIRCEN-STOCKHOLM) (05/10/89)
Director: Prof Carlos Rolz
Address: Central American Research Institute
for Industry (ICAITI)
Guatemala City
Guatemala.
Coffee pulp is one of the main agricultural by-products in
the region and has therefore received substancial attention
on its disposal problems. The pulp is high in moisture and
readily fermentable.
ICAITI in 1987 organized the "3rd International Symposium on
Integral Utilization of Coffee Processing By-products" and
"Symposium on Biotechnology for Biomass Production and Waste
Treatment.
ICAITI has also conducted research to consider using coffee
pulp as a soil conditioner, as a fuel for drying of coffee
beans, for the extraction of caffeine and pectin, and as an
animal feed.
Coffee pulp can be used as a supplement in animal fodder but
if used as a direct feed, the caffeine and polyphenols in
the pulp can cause problems when ingested in high amounts by
animals. A Costa Rican plant is dehydrating the coffee pulp
after neutralization and then screw pressing it. This has
been sucessfully used as a supplementary feed for milking
cows.
Solid fermentation using a fungi has been used by ICAITI for
protein enrichment. Mushroom cultivation with a macrofungi
has also been considered.