Gas to protein: Microbial single cell protein is an alternative to fishmeal in aquaculture

Lindsey Woolley; Md Reaz Chaklader; Luke Pilmer; Frances Stephens; Catherine Wingate; Michael Salini; Gavin Partridge

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160141

Gas to protein: Microbial single cell protein is an alternative to fishmeal in aquaculture

Sci Total Environ. 2023 Feb 10;859(Pt 1):160141. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160141. Epub 2022 Nov 15.

Authors

Lindsey Woolley¹, Md Reaz Chaklader², Luke Pilmer³, Frances Stephens⁴, Catherine Wingate⁵, Michael Salini⁶, Gavin Partridge⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Fleet Street, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160, Australia; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, School of Veterinary & Life Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia. Electronic address: lindsey.woolley@dpird.wa.gov.au.
² Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Fleet Street, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160, Australia.
³ Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Fleet Street, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160, Australia; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, School of Veterinary & Life Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
⁴ Independent, Dalgety Road, Middle Swan, Western Australia 6056, Australia.
⁵ School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
⁶ Ridley Agriproducts Pty Ltd, Robart Court, Narangba, Queensland 4504, Australia; Nutrition and Seafood Laboratory (NuSea.Lab), School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria 3225, Australia.
⁷ Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Fleet Street, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160, Australia; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, School of Veterinary & Life Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia; Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia.

PMID: 36395832
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160141

Abstract

Methanotrophic bacteria represent an appealing opportunity to convert methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into a highly nutritious animal feed ingredient, single-cell protein (SCP). SCP has a comparable or superior nutritional profile that to most conventional protein sources and can be produced within a lower environmental footprint. The present study investigated the effect of replacing fishmeal (FM) with methanotrophic SCP in diets for barramundi (Lates calcarifer), a carnivorous fish with a high demand for dietary protein and energy. Dietary inclusion levels of 0 %, 10 %, 20 % and 30 % SCP (representing 0, 25, 50 and 75 % FM replacement) were tested, with and without additives. Triplicate groups of juvenile barramundi were fed the diets over 31 days. The inclusion of SCP significantly improved weight gain and feed conversion efficiency (FCE). Dietary SCP inclusion supported good gut health, with decreasing trends of hepatosomatic index, improved plasma biochemistry, and no adverse histopathological changes. Barramundi fed the SCP diets showed an intact intestinal barrier and a significant improvement in villi and lamina propria area when fed the additive supplemented SCP diets. This study demonstrates that this SCP is highly palatable to barramundi (even without dietary additives) and can replace up to 75 % FM with significant improvements in growth and FCE.

Keywords: Barramundi; Carbon capture; Feed conversion efficiency; Growth; Single cell protein.

MeSH terms

Animal Feed* / analysis
Animals
Aquaculture
Diet
Dietary Proteins
Perciformes*

Substances

single cell proteins
Dietary Proteins