Single cell protein ( SCP ) refers to edible unicellular microorganisms. Biomass or protein extracts from algae, yeast, mushroom or pure bacteria or mixed cultures can be used as a substitute for protein rich foods, suitable for human consumption or as animal feed.
While industrial agriculture is characterized by high water footprint, high land use, biodiversity destruction, general environmental degradation and contributing to climate change with emissions of one-third of all greenhouse gases, SCP production does not always point to one of these serious flaws. On this day, SCP is generally grown on agricultural waste products, and thus inherits ecological footprints and water footprints from industrial agriculture. However, SCP can also be produced entirely independently of agricultural waste products through autotropic growth. Thanks to the high diversity of microbial metabolism, autotrophic SCP provides several different growth modes, versatile recombinant nutritional options, and much improved efficiency compared to plants.
With the world population reaching 9 billion by 2050, there is strong evidence that agriculture will not be able to meet demand and that there is a serious risk of food shortages. Autotrophic SCP represents an unsafe mass food production option that can produce food reliably even under harsh climatic conditions.
Video Single-cell protein
Histori
In 1781, the process of preparing a highly concentrated form of yeast was formed. Research on Single Cell Protein Technologies began a century ago when Max DelbrÃÆ'ück and his colleagues discovered the high value of surplus brewer's yeast as a dietary supplement for animals. During World War I and World War II, SCP-yeast was employed on a large scale in Germany to address food shortages during the war. Inventions for the production of SCP often represent a milestone for biotechnology in general: for example, in 1919, Sak in Denmark and Hayduck in Germany invented a method named, "Zulaufverfahren", (feeding-batch) in which a sugar solution was fed continuously to an aeration suspension yeast instead of adding yeast to a very dilute sugar solution (batch). In the post-war period, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) emphasized the problem of world hunger and malnutrition in 1960 and introduced the concept of protein gap, showing that 25% of the world's population suffers from a lack of protein intake. in their diet. It is also feared that agricultural production will fail to meet the growing demand for food by humans. In the mid-60s, nearly a quarter of a million tonnes of yeast food was produced in different parts of the world and the Soviet Union alone produced about 900,000 tons by 1970 yeast food and fodder.
In the 1960s, researchers at British Petroleum developed what they called "protein-from-oil process": a technology for producing single cell protein by yeast given by n-paraffin wax, a by-product of an oil refinery. The initial research work was undertaken by Alfred Champagnat at BP's Lavera Oil Refinery in France; the small pilot plant there began operations in March 1963, and the same construction of the second pilot plant, at the Grangemouth Oil Refinery in England, was ratified.
The term SCP was created in 1966 by Carroll L. Wilson of MIT.
The idea of ââ"food from oil" became very popular in the 1970s, with Champagnat being awarded the UNESCO Scientific Award in 1976, and a paraffin-fed yeast facility built in a number of countries. The main use of the product is as poultry and livestock feed.
The Soviets were very enthusiastic, opening a large "BVK" ( belkovo-vitaminny kontentrate, that is, "protein-vitamin concentration") next to their oil refineries at Kstovo (1973) and Kirishi (1974). The Soviet Ministry of Industrial Microbiology had eight such factories in 1989. However, due to concerns of alkane toxicity in the SCP and suppressed by the environmental movement, the government decided to close it down, or switch to other microbiological processes. Maps Single-cell protein
Production Process
Single cell proteins develop when microbes ferment waste materials (including wood, straw, canning, and food processing waste, residues from alcohol, hydrocarbon, or human and animal waste). The problem with extracting single cell proteins from waste is dilution and cost. They are found in very low concentrations, usually less than 5%. Engineers have developed ways to increase concentrations including centrifugation, flotation, precipitation, coagulation, and filtration, or the use of semi-permeable membranes.
Single cell proteins should be dehydrated to about 10% moisture and/or acidified content to aid in storage and prevent decay. Methods to improve concentration to an adequate level and the process of removal of water require expensive equipment and are not always suitable for small-scale operations. It is economically wise to feed products locally and immediately after production.
Microorganisms
Microbial yang digunakan meliputi:
- Ragi
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- Pichia pastoris
- Candida utilis
- Torulopsis
- Geotrichum candidum
- Jamur (mycoprotein)
- Aspergillus oryzae
- Fusarium venenatum
- Sclerotium rolfsii
- Polyporus
- Trichoderma
- Scytalidium acidophilum
- Bakteri
- Rhodobacter capsulatus
- Alga
- Spirulina (suplemen diet)
- Chlorella
Keuntungan
Although SCP demonstrates a very attractive feature as a nutrient for humans, there are some problems that hinder its adoption globally:
- Rapidly growing microorganisms such as bacteria and yeasts tend to have high concentrations of nucleic acids, especially RNA. Levels should be limited in monogastric animal diets up to & lt; 50 g per day. Swallowing of purine compounds arising from the breakdown of RNA causes elevated levels of uric acid, which can lead to gout and kidney stones. Uric acid can be converted to allantoin, which is excreted in the urine. Removal of nucleic acids is not required from animal feed but comes from human food. Temperatures that survive at 64 ° C disable the fungus protease and allow. However, this problem can be overcome. One common method consists of heat treatment that kills cells, inactivates proteases and allows endogenous RNase to hydrolyze RNA by releasing nucleotides from cell to broth culture.
- Similar to plant cells, cell walls of several microorganisms such as algae and yeast contain non-digestible components, such as cellulose. Cells of some types of SCP should be broken down to liberate interior cells and allow complete digestion.
- Some SCP types show unpleasant colors and flavors.
- Depending on the type of SCP and cultivation conditions, care should be taken to prevent and control contamination by other microorganisms because contaminants may produce toxins such as mycotoxins or cyanotoxins. An interesting approach to overcome this problem is proposed with the fungus Scytalidium acidophilum growing at a pH as low as 1. This allows to hydrolyze waste paper into sugar medium and create aseptic conditions at low cost.
- Some yeast and mushroom proteins tend to lack methionine.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia