Single Cell Protein (SCP) and Mycoprotein C YJ Vee dried cells of micro-organisms (algae, bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi) used as food or feed are collectively known a3 ‘microbial protein’. Since the ancient times a number of miero- organisms”have been iised as a part of diet. Fermented yeast (Saccharomyces sp.) was recovered as a leavening agent for bread as carly as 2500 B.C, (Frey, 1930). Fermented mille and cheese produced by lotic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus and Streptococcus) was used by Egyptians and Grecks during 50-100 B.C. e.g. Lactgbacillus and Streptococcus. ‘Cultured dairy products contain 107 to 10° lactic acid bacteria per gram of product (Pederson, 1971). During the first century B.C, the palatability of edible mushrooms ‘was also realized in Rome. In 16th Century blug-green algae (e.g. Spirulina) was consumed as a major source of protein (Clement, 1968). ‘The term ‘microbial protein’ was replaced by a new term “single cell protein” (SCP) during the First International Conference on microbial protein held in 1967 at the Massachusets Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, ‘A mushroom ~ Leuecagaricus naucines Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Scrimshaw, 1968). Criteria for coining this term was the single celled habit of micro-organisms used as food and feed. In 1973, when Second Intemational Conference was convened at MIT, some actinomycetes and filamentous fungi were reported to produce Protein from various substrates (Tannenbaum and Wangt, 1975). Sincend ein then many filamentous fungi have been reported to produce protein. Therefore the term SCP is not logical, if an organism produces filaments ‘Gree the 1920s, filamentous fungi have been used forthe production of Prosie (Thatcher, tsi For sch fungi, the term “fungal protein’ has been used by many worker Recently, the team “mnyeuprotein’ has been introduoed by Ranks Hovis McDougal (RIM) Jn the United Kingdom for protein produced on glucose of starch substrates importance of mass production of micro-organisms as direct source of microbial protein was realinad during World War T in Germany and consequently, baker’s yeast (& cerevisiae) was Hae vd molascs medium supplemented with ammonium sls. During Wo War (1939-1945) the aerobic yeasts (e.g. Candida us) were produced fo: fe) ‘and feed in Germany. Hie world War Il, considerable effort has been made to develop technologies fo 58 cultivation SSeP by fomnulating different types of growth media and improved oltre f micro-organisms. tans laty 1950s, rich Petroleum started producing the SCP from hydrocarbons es the crude da 210-25 pe cen n-alkanes (paraffins) and established first large scale lat Sardinia or he end of 1975. Tthad a capacity of 1,00,000 tonnes SCP per annum. Yo scale production aan envisaged in England and Rumania wid the anual production of 6.00 Ha bacterial sae erm England. The erstwhile USS.R. was the Works largest produces of SCP in 1980. The Production was estimated (0 1-1 milion tonnes of SCP per annum (Cans 198). ve Tin litle attention hasbeen paid onthe production of SCP, though mashvoor! cealtvation stared in the early 1950s. However, work on, mushroom culture at Solan (Himachal Prades) aa 70 onward has brought saafatory results. Reecotly, Nasional Botanical Research Institute (NBRD, Lacknow and Central Food Technological Research Instiuie (CFTR, Mysore, have aepashed Cenes for muss production of SCP from cyanobacteria. At the NBL SCP is produced a cewage whichis further wlized as animal feed (Anonymous, 1980) ‘Spector. the Tigh of protin shortage, micro-organisms offer many possbiites for protein production. They can be used to replace totaly or partially he ‘valuable amount of conventional ogetable and animal protein feed. For this, development of technologies to utilize the waste Froducts would play 2 majo role for the production of SCP (Roth, 1982). ‘A, ADVANTAGES OF PRODUCING MICROBIAL PROTEIN Roth (1982) has deseribed a number of advantages in the Production of microbial protein, compared to protein problems of conventional crops used as food ‘and feed, These include = (@) Rapid succession of generations (algae, 2-Gh; yeast, 1-3h; barton 0.5-2h) 5 Gi) Fasily modifiable genetically (eg. for composition of smino acids); (iii) High protein content of 43-85 per cent in the dry mass + (jv) Broad spectrum of original raw material used for the produc ‘waste products; () Production in continuous cultures, consistent quality not dependent on climate in srecrinable amount, low land requirements, ecologically beneficial. Other advantages sre : (a) high solar energy conversion efficiency per unit area (net production in cultivated tand-290 pCln2/day, lakes and streams - 225 gC/n?/day ; estuaries = ‘810 gC/m*sday), (b) easy rglation of environmental factors eg. physical, nutritional. ‘which maximize char energy conversion efficiency and yield (cellular, molecular and BN alterations set) algal culture in space, which is normally unused inscad of competing for land (Vijayan, 5) jon, which also includessanisms a gases, = pond) waste phite, : basis rotein (SCP) and Mycoprotein EIEN _Single Cell Gs SUBSTRATES USED FOR PRODUCTION OF SCP A vaticty of substrates are used for SCP production, However, availability of necessary Substrates is ‘of considerable biological and economic importance for the production of SCP. Algae which contain chlorophylls, do not require organic wastes. They use free energy from Sunlight and carbon-dioxide from air, while bacteria (except photoautotrophs) and fungi require organic wastes, as they do not contain chlorophylls (Roth, 1982), ‘The major components of substrates are the raw materials which contain sugars (suggreane, sugarbeet and their processed products), starch (grains, tapioca, potato, and their by-products), Lignocelfutoses from woody plants and herbs having residues with nitrogen and phosphorus contents and other raw materials (whey and refuses from processed food). Organic wastes are also generated by certain industries and are rich in aromatic compounds or hydrocarbons (Bull et al., 1983), Recent price-increase in petroleum and refined petroleum products has made hydrocarbons and. chemicals derived from them (such as methanol and ethanol) less attractive as raw materials for SCP production than renewable sources such as agricultural wastes or by-products. A detailed account of these wastes is given in Chapter 2 D. NUTRITIO! VALUE OF SCP Nowadays, considerable information is available on the composition of microbial cells e. protein, amino acid, vitamin, and minerals (Litchfield, 1979). Commercial value of SCP depends ‘on their nutritional performance and nevertheless, it has t0 be evaluated to the prevalent feed protein, SCPs either from alkanes or methanols, ae characterized by good content and balance ‘n essential amino acids (Senez, 1986). Composition of growth medium governs the protein and lipid contents of micro-organisms. ‘Yeasts, moulds and higher fungi have higher cellular lipid content and lower nitrogen and protein contents, when grown in media having high amount of available carbon as energy source and low sitrogen (Litchfield, 1979) Ignoring a few extreme values, the mean crude protein in dry matter of algge and yeasts, on conventional substrates, ies between 50 and 60 per cent, for alkane yeasts between 35 and 65 Pet cent, and for bacteria about 80 per cent. A high content of nucleic acid free protein is ‘xtemely important for the economic efficiency of the procedure in SCP production, Because of Sigh protein and fat contents the contribution of carbohydrates to the nutritional value of SCP 5 not of prime importance. ‘The crude ash content is determined in particular by the nutrient salts of the fermentation snedium (Roth, 1982). Estimation of crude protein is based on total nitrogen which is multiplied Sy the factor 6.25. The protein content of micro-organisms computed in this manner does not give se exact figure of protein content, as in the estimation of total nitrogen, the value of nucleic acid also included which is somewhat erroneous. ‘The most important measure of nutritional value is the actual performance of SCP products ‘= determined in feeding studies. The determinants of the utility of SCP product for application food for human beings and feed for animals differ. For human beings, protein digestibility and Svtcin efficiency ratio (PER), biological value or net protein utilization (NPU), determined in =, are the parameters for food application, whereas for animals, metabolizable energy, protein Sz=stbility and feed conversion ratio (weight of ration consumet/weight gain) are the measures © performance in broiler, chickens, swine and calves (and egg laying in hens). Digestibility (D) is the percentage of total nitrogen consumed, which is absorbed through the mentary tract. I is calculated as below : Ni- Fa Ni D