Intercultural Study of a Sustainable and Circular Economy Cookie With Valorized Coffee Grounds: Consumer Acceptance in Germany and Indonesia

Abstract

In response to the rising global demand for food, sustainable food production has become a key focus in recent years. Among the various strategies explored, the valorization of food waste and by-products has gained significant attention. A particularly promising by-product is spent coffee grounds (SCG), which are produced in large quantities due to the widespread consumption of coffee worldwide. This study examines the potential of SCG as a valuable resource in sustainable food production, exploring its applications in cookies, as well assessing its consumer acceptance. Although preceding literatures have explored the utilization of SCG in cookies, none have studied the potential difference of consumer acceptance between two cultures, specifically Indonesia and Germany. Three different SCG concentrations were used in this study, namely 15%, 20%, and 25%. To assess its consumer acceptability and perception, a 9-point hedonic sensory evaluation and ranking test was used on 30 Indonesian and 30 German panelists. The results imply that there are no significant differences between the acceptability of the cookies for all concentrations across all sensory attributes, except for taste and overall liking for 20% concentration. Therefore, it supports the failure to reject the null hypothesis since cookies with SCG are positively accepted and perceived by both groups of consumers. Moreover, among the three different concentrations, the majority of participants ranked the 15% SCG in the first place, since higher concentrations of SCG will increase bitterness, which might be undesirable for some individuals. This study illustrates the potential of SCG as an ingredient in cookies, demonstrating that it can be successfully integrated into products appreciated by consumers from different cultural contexts, including both Germany and Indonesia, while also supporting sustainability and a circular economy.