Question

Give the source of single-cell protein.

Answer 1

SCP is produced by culturing desired microorganisms on suitable media. Various microorganisms can be used to produce SCP. Examples include:

• Bacteria like Methylophilus methylotrophus (which produces a product called pruteen by acting on methanol, a chemical waste).
• Fungi such as Fusarium graminearum, which produces mycoprotein when grown on flour waste.
• Yeasts such as Candida spp., Endomycopsis fibuligera, Debaryomyces kloeckeri, and Kluyveromyces fragilis that can grow on substrates including n-alkanes, methanol, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gas, brewery wastes, molasses, cheese whey, and others.
• Algae like Spirulina, a blue-green alga promoted by the Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore in India. Spirulina contains about 60% protein, along with essential vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids, and can be grown on various waste materials such as potato processing wastewater, straw, molasses, animal manure, or sewage.