Coal-to-protein livestock feed uses 1/1000th as much land as farming
Source: The DairyNews
In a groundbreaking development, Chinese scientists have unveiled a cost-effective method of converting coal into protein, presenting a potential game-changer in the livestock feed industry.
This innovative approach aims to significantly enhance efficiency while utilizing just a fraction of the land compared to traditional farming practices.
Current statistics indicate that grazing and farming land for livestock and animal feed production occupies a staggering 40 million square kilometers, accounting for over a quarter of the Earth's dry land area. The environmental impact of such land use has spurred concerns, particularly with regards to the inefficiency of growing plants for animal feed production.
The new method, developed by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), involves transforming coal into methanol through gasification—a process with minimal carbon emissions. Subsequently, a specially engineered strain of Pichia pastoris yeast ferments the methanol to produce a single-cell protein enriched with amino acids, vitamins, inorganic salts, fats, and carbohydrates. This coal-derived protein offers a more concentrated source of nutrients compared to traditional plant-based alternatives, allowing it to partially replace fish, soybeans, meat, and skimmed milk in animal feeds.
A crucial aspect of the innovation lies in the selection and genetic engineering of the yeast strain, enhancing its ability to tolerate methanol's toxic effects. This optimization has resulted in an impressive 92% conversion efficiency, making it a cost-effective solution for large-scale protein production.
Notably, the application of this technology holds significant implications for China, which currently relies on importing approximately 80% of its protein raw materials, posing a considerable food security challenge. The research team has already partnered with an undisclosed manufacturing entity, conducting industrial-scale demonstrations that have yielded thousands of tonnes of this coal-derived protein.
This transformative breakthrough not only addresses agricultural efficiency concerns but also aligns with global efforts to find sustainable alternatives for feeding livestock, contributing to a more environmentally conscious approach in food production.The result: a yeast that converts methanol into protein at a remarkable 92% of the maximum theoretical yield of the process. That, says the team, makes it "a cost-effective option for the industrial production of protein."
According to the South China Morning Post, the researchers have already hooked up with an undisclosed manufacturing partner to start industrial-scale demonstrations that have already produced "thousands of tonnes of this protein in a plant."
Current statistics indicate that grazing and farming land for livestock and animal feed production occupies a staggering 40 million square kilometers, accounting for over a quarter of the Earth's dry land area. The environmental impact of such land use has spurred concerns, particularly with regards to the inefficiency of growing plants for animal feed production.
The new method, developed by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), involves transforming coal into methanol through gasification—a process with minimal carbon emissions. Subsequently, a specially engineered strain of Pichia pastoris yeast ferments the methanol to produce a single-cell protein enriched with amino acids, vitamins, inorganic salts, fats, and carbohydrates. This coal-derived protein offers a more concentrated source of nutrients compared to traditional plant-based alternatives, allowing it to partially replace fish, soybeans, meat, and skimmed milk in animal feeds.
A crucial aspect of the innovation lies in the selection and genetic engineering of the yeast strain, enhancing its ability to tolerate methanol's toxic effects. This optimization has resulted in an impressive 92% conversion efficiency, making it a cost-effective solution for large-scale protein production.
Notably, the application of this technology holds significant implications for China, which currently relies on importing approximately 80% of its protein raw materials, posing a considerable food security challenge. The research team has already partnered with an undisclosed manufacturing entity, conducting industrial-scale demonstrations that have yielded thousands of tonnes of this coal-derived protein.
This transformative breakthrough not only addresses agricultural efficiency concerns but also aligns with global efforts to find sustainable alternatives for feeding livestock, contributing to a more environmentally conscious approach in food production.The result: a yeast that converts methanol into protein at a remarkable 92% of the maximum theoretical yield of the process. That, says the team, makes it "a cost-effective option for the industrial production of protein."
According to the South China Morning Post, the researchers have already hooked up with an undisclosed manufacturing partner to start industrial-scale demonstrations that have already produced "thousands of tonnes of this protein in a plant."
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