Single ce‖ protein Micro-organisms are rich in protein. Microbial cells can contain as much protein as conventional foods. Bacteria can contain 60-65%(as a of dry weight) protein whereas fungi and algae contain about 40%. In addition, microbial cells can be a rich source of fibre, unsaturated fats, minerals and vitamins. They are low in saturated fats and sodium protein from Micro-organisms create protein Like plants, many micro-organisms can use inorganic nitrogen and can thus be used as an alternative to plants to create protei processes inorganic nitrogen is usually supplied as ammonia(or as ammonin which is readily available and is renewable, as it can be manufactured from atmospheric d can be recycled through the nitr compete with plant s for co, but there is no0gmp如mn is renewable by recycling through the carbon cycle. Other micro-organisms are heterotrophs(organisms which use organic sources of carbon) and can use a wide range of organic carbon sources. These can be materials unsuitable as food sources for animals (for example methanol). Others are waste products from industries or agriculture and have limited uses and can be a problem to dispose of by other means saves SCP processes are efficient on space. sCP production plants can be built on land bN of protein. Also they are much more efficient in terms of amount of protein produced unsuitable for agriculture and so need not compete for space with conventional sources per unit area(figures are quoted later for some processes) rapid growth Micro-organisms grow rapidly. Micro-organisms grow much more rapidly than plants or animals. Bacteria can grow with mean generation times(doubling times )as short as 20-30 minutes. The mean generation times of unicellular algae and fungi are about 1-3 hours, whereas those of multicellular algae and fungi may be longer. This means that micro-organisms have the potential to produce protein far more rapidly than is possible by rearing plants or animals By completing the following calculation you will be able to demonstrate the amazing potential for micro-organism to rapidly produce protein for food In batch culture, when growth is exponential, the number or organisms produced from one organism is given by 2, where n is the number of generations. So after one 2/eration there are 2(ie 2), after two generations 2 (ie 4)and after three generations Starting from a single bacterial cell with a mean generation time(doubling time)of 1 hour, and assuming exponential growth throughout, how many organisms would you have after 48 hours? As the dry weight of a bacterial cell is about 10 g what would the dry weight of these cells be? Assuming these cells to be 50% protein, how much protein would there be? Assuming you are an average person, you require about 70 g of protein in your diet per day. How long would this protein last you? (Do not cheat, try the calculation before reading on). Now repeat the calculation to find out how much protein would have after 72 After 48 hours there would be 248 or 2. x 10 4 cells This represents 2. x 10x10=2 8x10‘ g dry weight cellsSingle cell protein 63 Micrmrganisms are rich in protein. Microbial cells can contain as much protein as conventional foods. Bacteria can contain 60-696 (as a 96 of dry weight) protein whereas fungi and algae contain about 40%. In addition, microbial cells can be a rich source of fibre, unsaturated fats, minerals and vitamins. They are low in saturated fats and sodium. protein from inorganic nitrogen autotrophs/ heterotrophs 8aV88 agricultural spa￾rapid gmwth Micrmrganisms create protein. Like plants, many micmrganisms can use inorganic nitrogen and can thus be used as an alternative to plants to create protein. In SB processes inorganic nitrogen is usually supplied as ammonia (or as ammonium salts), which is readily available and is renewable, as it can be manufactured from atmospheric nitrogen and can be recycled through the nitrogen cycle. Microorganisms can use alternative carbon sources. Algae are autotrophs using atmospheric COZ (think of them as plants growing in water instead of soil). They compete with plank for COZ but there is not a shortage of COz in the atmosphere and it is renewable by recycling through the carbon cycle. Other micm-organisms are heterotrophs (organisms which use organic sources of carbon) and can use a wide range of organic carbon sources. These can be materials unsuitable as food sources for animals (for example methanol). Others are waste products from industries or agriculture and have limited uses and can be a problem to dispose of by other means. SCP processes are efficient on space. SCP production plants can be built on land unsuitable for agriculture and so need not compete for space with conventional sources of protein. Also they are much more efficient in terms of amount of protein produced per unit area (figures are quoted later for some processes). Micro-organisms grow rapidly. Micrmrganisms grow much more rapidly than plants or animals. Bacteria can grow with mean generation times (doubling times) as short as 20-30 minutes. The mean generation times of unicellular algae and fungi are about 1-3 hours, whereas those of multicellular algae and fungi may be longer. This means that micmrganisms have the potential to produce protein far more rapidly than is possible by rearing plants or animals. By completing the following calculation you will be able to demonstrate the n amazing potential for micmrganism to rapidly produce protein for food. In batch culture, when growth is exponential, the number or organisms produced from one organism is given by 2”, where n is the number of generations. So after one qneration there are 2’ (ie 21, after two generations 2* (ie 4) and after three generations 2 (ie 8) and so on. Starting from a single bacterial cell with a mean generation time (doubling time) of 1 hour, and assuming exponential growth throughout, how many %anisms would you have after 48 hours? As the dry weight of a bacterial cell is about 10- g, what would the dry weight of these cells be? Assuming these cells to be 50% protein, how much protein would there be? Assuming you are an average person, you require about 70 g of protein in your diet per day. How long would this protein last you? (Do not cheat, try the calculation before reading on). Now repeat the calculation to find out how much protein you would have after 721. After 48 hours there would be 2& or 2.8 x 1014 cells. This represents 2.8 x 1014 x lo-’’ = 2.8 x 104g dry weight cells