Introduction: In coffee production, wastewater generated during the pulping process show a high organic load, which represents an environmental risk to receiving water bodies when discharged without prior treatment
Objective: To optimize the treatment of wastewater from the wet processing of coffee through a batch electrocoagulation process using aluminum electrodes.
Methodology: A Plackett-Burman design was applied to identify the operational variables with the greatest influence (pH, temperature, salt concentration, electric current, stirring speed, and reaction time). Subsequently, the significant variables were optimized using a Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology.
Results: Under optimal conditions, a quadratic model was developed to describe biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅). The estimated treatment cost was 24.02 MXN·m^-3, considering both energy consumption and electrode wear. The BOD₅ removal efficiency reached 98.5 %, a value consistent with the model prediction (97.49 %), which showed a good fit to the data (R² = 0.911).
Limitation of the study: The study did not include variability among different coffee harvests.
Originality: The proposed treatment represents an innovative alternative in the study region, with high efficiency in the removal of organic load.
Conclusions: The treated wastewater presented BOD₅ concentrations below 20 mg·L^-1, which complies with the criteria established by NOM-003-SEMARNAT-1997 and allows its potential reuse for irrigation of coffee plantations.

Introduction: The interaction among proteins, pectins, and polyphenols can induce the formation of coacervates with enhanced functional properties compared to their individual components.
Objective: To produce ternary complex coacervates (CC) from amaranth protein isolate (API), cocoa pod husk (CP) pectin and cocoa shell/husk phenolic extract (PE), and to evaluate their functional properties.
Methodology: CC were formed at different API:CP weight ratios and PE concentrations. Their antioxidant properties, encapsulation efficiency (EE), simulated gastrointestinal conditions (SGC), foaming and emulsifying properties, apparent viscosity, and solubility were determined.
Results: CC formulated with higher API:CP ratios and PE concentrations showed a greater capacity to neutralize ABTS^•+ and DPPH^• radicals. After 15 days of storage, a decrease in antioxidant activity was observed; however, the loss was more significant in PE free than in CC. Under SGC, CC showed a reduction in antioxidant activity. CC with higher ratio showed greater foam expansion (FE) capacity, emulsion stability index (ESI), and apparent viscosity, but a lower creaming index (CI).
Limitations of the study: The coacervates showed low solubility; therefore, further research is required to elucidate their interactions with food components.
Originality: This study focuses on extracting pectin and phenolic compounds from agro-industrial residues, as well as amaranth protein, highlighting their potential health benefits.
Conclusions: The coacervates showed functional properties suitable for their potential applications in food products.