Journal article
Performance of second-generation microbial protein used as aquaculture feed in relation to planetary boundaries
Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark1
Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark2
Valpromic3
Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark4
Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Sustainability, Society and Economics, Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark5
Water Technology & Processes, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark6
DTU Microbes Initiative, Centers, Technical University of Denmark7
Carbon and nitrogen present in residual water streams can be converted into microbial protein and used as animal feed in aquaculture. While microbial protein is thought to be more environmentally sustainable when compared to proteins made from fish residues or plants, nothing is known about how it performs in an absolute sustainability perspective, relative to planetary boundaries.
Here, a systems-oriented analysis using life cycle assessment (LCA) linked to the planetary boundaries framework was conducted to assess environmental performance of a pilot-scale microbial protein production from starch-rich process water using aerobic heterotrophs. Results showed that while this microbial-protein indeed performed significantly better than just fishmeal or soybean meal for impacts related to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) flows, none of the three feeds were found sustainable in relation to all planetary boundaries.
This constitutes an opportunity for technology developers when the microbial protein production is scaled up and matures.
| Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2022 |
| Pages: | 106158 |
| ISSN: | 18790658 and 09213449 |
| Types: | Journal article |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106158 |
| ORCIDs: | Owsianiak, Mikołaj , Pusateri, Valentina , Ryberg, Morten and Valverde-Pérez, Borja |
Alternative protein Circular economy Environmental sustainability Feed LCA Resource recovery SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
