ISSUE FOCUS 46 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE August 2024 Geoff Bell Chief Executive Officer MicroBioGen An Grobler Head of Communications MicroBioGen As the global demand for animal protein increases and the availability of conventional feed ingredients decreases, animal feed production is becoming a major challenge. High protein feed ingredients such as fish meal are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, necessitating alternative sources of protein. Commercial aquafeeds often use plant-based ingredients, but they present problems such as insufficient protein content, taste issues and anti-nutritional factors. One promising solution is single cell protein (SCP), which refers to protein derived from microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. SCP has several advantages over conventional feed ingredients, such as fast growth rate, low land and water use and potential to utilise waste streams as substrates. However, for a microorganism to be considered suitable for SCP production, it must meet a range of criteria (Table 1). PRODUCING SCP FOR FEED: CHOOSING THE BEST MICROBE FOR THE JOB Among the various microorganisms that can produce SCP for animal feed, yeast has the most potential to produce premium SCP efficiently, economically and at scale. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as brewer’s or baker’s yeast, is widely celebrated for its versatility and manufacturability in diverse industries, with applications ranging from baking and brewing to biofuels, biochemicals and animal feed. Recent progress in single cell protein (SCP) technology is set to revolutionise the aquafeed industry. Australian biotech MicroBioGen has developed a natural, sustainable, nutritionally enhanced yeast SCP alternative to fish meal. With the potential to turn industrial waste streams into high-quality protein for feed, MicroBioGen’s innovation solves major environmental, social and economic challenges. NOVEL YEAST TURNS WASTE INTO PROTEIN FOR PREMIUM AQUAFEED
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