International research team shows that protein from microbes uses a fraction of the resources of conventional farming
From:
Georg-August-Universitat Gottingen
July
30, 2021 -- Microbes have played a key role in our food and drinks – from
cheese to beer – for millennia but their impact on our nutrition may soon
become even more important. The world is facing growing food challenges as the
human population continues to increase alongside its demand for resource
intensive animal products. If these needs are to be met solely by conventional
agriculture, the environmental cost will be huge. An international research
team led by a Göttingen University alumnus has now shown that using solar-panels
to produce microbial protein – which is rich not just in proteins but also in
other nutrients – is more sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly
than growing conventional crops. This method uses solar energy, land,
nutrients, and carbon dioxide from the air. Their research was published in
PNAS.
Using computer simulations drawing
directly from laboratory results, the researchers modelled large-scale
microbial food production facilities, which use solar energy, air, water, and
nutrients to grow microbes. The protein-rich biomass is harvested and
processed, and the resulting powder can be used as feed for animals, or as food
for people. The study carried out an analysis of the energy requirements for
each step, from the very start to the end product, taking into account:
electricity generation (from solar panels), electrochemical production of
energy-rich substrate for the microbes, microbe cultivation, harvesting, and
processing the protein-rich biomass. Several types of microbes and growth
strategies were compared in order to identify the most efficient.
The study found that for each kilo of
protein produced, solar-powered microbes require only 10% of the land area
compared to even the most efficient plant crop – soybean. The study calculated
that even in northern climates with less sunshine, the yields of solar-powered
microbial foods could far outproduce staple crops, while minimizing water and
fertilizer use. Importantly, this production could also be located in regions
not suitable for agriculture, such as deserts.
In previous research, the protein from
these types of microbes has shown beneficial effects when fed to livestock and
is already produced at large scale in the EU. “We expect that microbial protein
will also be beneficial as a supplement to our diets, since it provides a
high-quality protein source composed of all essential amino acids, as well as
vitamins and minerals,” explains first author Dorian Leger, who
carried out the work in the MPI of Molecular Plant Physiology while studying at
the University of Göttingen, along with colleagues from Italy and Israel. “This
technology has the potential to support food production while preventing damage
to the environment. Current farming methods contribute to polluted ecosystems
and depleted water reserves worldwide.”
At the moment, 30-40% of the Earth’s
land is used for farming, yet one in ten people are undernourished. Leger says,
“Integrating the cultivation of nutrient-rich microbes with renewable energy
systems, such as solar panels, has the potential to produce more food with less
resources. This could free up vast amounts of agricultural land, and, in
addition, prevent the further destruction of natural ecosystems, thereby making
a valuable contribution to conservation and sustainability whilst promoting
food availability globally.”
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