Physicochemical\nProperties and Valorization of the\nMucilage Byproduct from Colombian Coffea arabica L. as a Powdered Food Hydrocolloid

This study investigates the physicochemical properties\nand valorization\nof unclarified mucilage powder extracted from Colombian Arabica coffee\ncherry peels as a novel food hydrocolloid. Driven by the growing demand\nfor sustainable and functional food ingredients, researchers are actively\nseeking plant-based alternatives to conventional hydrocolloids. Here,\nwe explored the structural properties and bioactivity of the unclarified\ncoffee mucilage powder. UPLC-QTOFMS, FT-IR, NMR, XRD, SEM, and DSC/TGA\nspectra revealed the presence of bioactive antioxidant compounds,\nstructural polysaccharides, and prebiotic sugars. Powdered mucilage\nexhibits favorable physical properties for food applications, including\nthermal stability (<i>T</i><sub>g</sub> ≈ 47 °C),\nviscosity (5.2 ± 0.1 cP), and ability (48.13 ± 1.62%) and\nstability (48.91 ± 4.36%) of emulsification. Furthermore, the\nmaterial demonstrates significant antioxidant capacity (32.02 ±\n1.98 mmol TE/kg) attributed to phenolic compounds (7.76 ± 1.77\nmg GAE/g), a moderate dietary fiber content (16.1 g/100 g), and enhanced\nprebiotic activity (PI values of 0.085 ± 0.008) compared with\ninulin (PI values of 0.005 ± 0.003), promoting propionic acid\nproduction. Additionally, the reddish-brown color with moderate yellow\ntones offers unique possibilities for product formulations. Collectively,\nthese findings position unclarified coffee mucilage powder as a promising\nhydrocolloid with potential health benefits and broad applicability\nacross various food industries.