BIOREFINERY CONCEPT APPLIED TO TEQUILA INDUSTRY BY-PRODUCTS

摘要

Tequila is a very popular Mexican alcoholic beverage, produced from the heads of the Agave tequilanarnWeber var. azul, hydrolyzed or cooked, and then subjected to alcoholic fermentations. With 219 producers and 1648rnbrands of tequila registered in 2013, the tequila industry plays a crucial role in Mexican economy, with the value ofrnnational market estimated to be around 12,500 million MXN. Tequila production process generates different kind ofrnwaste, which disposal has been the object of many recent studies. Mainly, agave leaves, bagasse and vinasses arerngenerated as residues. The aim of this study is to propose different uses or products from these residues under thernbiorefinery concept.