Towards new carbon–neutral food systems: Combining carbon capture and utilization with microbial protein production. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Van Peteghem, L.; Sakarika, M.; Matassa, S.; Pikaar, I.; Ganigué, R.; Rabaey, K.
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 349(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Microbial protein -- Carbon capture and utilization -- Technical assessment -- Single cell protein; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.126853
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: Alternative protein sources such as microbial protein (MP) are currently considered to alleviate the burden that food production exerts on the environment. Even though MP production is highly efficient in land and nutrient utilization, their carbon footprint should be improved. Here we propose the use of CCU as a driver for heterotrophic MP production. By comparing different MP production routes starting from liquid substrates derived from CO2 ( i.e., formate, acetate, methanol, and ethanol) and their respective metabolic pathways, the potential of this concept as a carbon–neutral food or feed production process was estimated. Acetate and ethanol appear to be the most beneficial substrates for the integrated CCU-to-MP process in terms of electricity demand (acetate: 25 – 54 kWh/kgproduct, ethanol: 28 – 56 kWh/kgproduct ). Moreover, recycling CO2 enables a carbon-negative protein production process by 2030 (considering the projected CO2 emissions from electricity in the EU: 0.096 kgCO2 -eq /kWh) for formate, acetate, and ethanol (-1.1 up to 13 kgCO2 -eq /kgproduct ).