ISSUE FOCUS Alternative Proteins Magazine April 2025 37 yeast), is a leading candidate for SCP production. Yeast offers several advantages for the production of SCP: it grows rapidly, is efficient in converting sugars into protein, and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for animal feed. In addition to protein, yeast is rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals, making it a nutritionally balanced option for aquafeed. Traditional S. cerevisiae strains do not grow efficiently under the challenging conditions found in industrial side streams due to the harsh environments typically encountered. They also often lack the complete nutritional profile needed for high-quality feed formulations. MicroBioGen has spent over two decades developing a superior yeast strain through non-GMO technologies to address these challenges while enhancing the functionality of yeast. Designed with scalability in mind, MicroBioGen’s highly advanced, natural yeast offers a sustainable, cost efficient and nutritious alternative to fish meal. The yeast can grow efficiently on industrial side streams, such as those from the food and beverage sector, which are typically discarded or underutilized. This process not only provides a high-quality protein source but also contributes to waste reduction, aligning with global sustainability goals. MicroBioGen is seeking partners for animal feed trials to validate initial lab scale results (Figure 1). MEETING THE DEMANDS OF AQUAFEED: IMPROVED SCP QUALITY AND TASTE A significant challenge in substituting fish meal with alternative protein sources is achieving comparable nutritional quality. Fish meal contains approximately 65% protein and boasts a well-balanced amino acid profile, which is vital for the growth and health of farmed fish and shrimp. Although MicroBioGen yeast SCP contains slightly less protein than fish meal (up to 60%), it is considerably more protein-rich than standard baker’s yeast (~45% protein) and closely aligns with the recommended daily allowance of essential amino acids for both humans and animals (Table 1). Figure 1. Leveraging its non-GMO technology platform, MicroBioGen has developed the world’s first natural single cell protein with significant additional functionality that could replace current, less sustainable fish meal in aqua feeds. Yeast can be included in animal feed either as a probiotic (live) or in its inactive form, such as dead yeast or yeast extracts. The company is seeking partners for animal feed trials to validate results from their Australian laboratories. Photographs: MicroBioGen’s bioreactors can accurately represent industrial scale processes (left); A sample of live, dried MicroBioGen yeast (right) Table 1. MicroBioGen’s advanced yeast SCP is a complete protein with a balanced amino acid profile. This makes it ideal for use in human food and animal feed applications Lysine Histidine Threonine Cysteine & Methionine Valine Isoleucine Leucine Phenylalanine & Tyrosine Tryptophan 2600 740 1800 1050 1500 1300 2300 2300 340 2470 910 1300 1235 1560 1235 2730 2145 325 Essential Amino Acids MicroBioGen SCP (mg/100g) RDA (mg) Data (adjusted) from: Bell, P.J.L.; Paras, F.E.; Mandarakas, S.; Arcenal, P.; Robinson-Cast, S.; Grobler, A.S.; Attfield, P.V. An Electro–Microbial Process to Uncouple Food Production from Photosynthesis for Application in Space Exploration. Life 2022, 12, 1002 (link)
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