Investigation of the potential of whisky pot ale as a resource to produce high-value sustainable products

Several valuable phenolic antioxidants were also identified in pot ale, including six derivatives of cinnamic acid and three of benzoic acid. These compounds could have applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and functional foods. The presence of copper at a mean concentration of 2.07 mg/L could complicate downstream treatments for valorisation so this should be removed as a first processing step for pot ale.<br><br>Disruption of the solid fraction of pot ale (5% (w/w)), consisting mainly of deactivated yeast cells, could enrich the soluble protein if done efficiently.

Yeast contains high concentrations of essential amino acids and a significant amount of protein, with the potential of adding further value to the pot ale protein. Ball milling of pot ale at an agitation speed of 20 Hz and a 1/1 (w/v) bead load achieved an 84% increase in soluble protein. The amino acid composition of the soluble protein after yeast disruption needs to be determined so that it can be seen whether a highly valuable food-grade protein isolate can be produced.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 July 2029</i>.<br><br><br>