It sounds like alchemy, but Chinese researchers have developed a method that uses methanol to convert coal into protein for animal feed.
The breakthrough has the scientific community hopeful the low-cost source of protein could become an alternative source of nutrition for animals as food prices worldwide continue to increase.
Population growth, particularly in underdeveloped and developing countries, has translated into an increased demand for crop and animal products.
China, a world leader in the production of food crops, including corn, rice, wheat, potatoes and animal products like pork, dairy, beef, chicken and eggs, is still heavily reliant on importing soy, corn and other grain-based animal feeds to sustain its production.
The country imports roughly 100 million tonnes of animal feed every year, equating to an estimated 80 percent of its demand, according to figures provided by the South China Morning Post.
Now, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) affiliate, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, claim to have created a process that is significantly more cost-effective than conventional protein biosynthesis techniques and does not require sophisticated fermentation equipment.
The Tianjin-based research team, led by Professor Wu Xin, published their work in the scientific journal, Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts in November 2023.
The team first converted coal into methanol through a process called gasification. The methanol, which is in a liquid state at room temperature, is then combined with water and a strain of yeast, known as pichia pastoris, and fermented to create protein.
Wu and his peers found that roughly 20 percent of the methanol turns into carbon dioxide and water during the fermentation period instead of the valuable protein desired by the team.
To combat this, the scientists gathered more than 20 000 yeast samples from various locations nationwide and isolated the strains best suited to protein biosynthesis. In their paper, the team reported that they identified and genetically engineered a wild strain of pichia pastoris that was found to show significantly improved methanol-protein conversion efficiency.
As described on the CAS website, the research unit synthesised 120 grams of crude protein for every liter of fluid, achieving a dramatically improved efficiency rate of 92 percent. Wu said the improved technique makes it very economically viable, adding that the method does not require arable land, while being unaffected by climate or seasonal shifts.
The protein is also nutritious and rich in micronutrients. It has a complete amino profile and is full of vitamins, carbohydrates, fats and salts, allowing the product to be used in numerous commercial applications.
Wu and his colleagues told Science and Technology Daily they are confident their work will reduce production costs of methanol-protein biosynthesis and are working with an unnamed partner to produce the animal feed at scale.
https://interestingengineering.com/science/scientists-transform-coal-into-protein
