Chinese researchers study producing fishmeal from industrial exhaust gases

BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have systematically reviewed the application and potential development of industrial exhaust gas in producing aquaculture feed protein.

The rapid development of aquaculture requires a rigid increase in feed consumption that heavily depends on wild-captured forage fish, which is unsustainable, costly and less eco-friendly, according to a recent research article published in the journal Reviews in Aquaculture.

The one-carbon gas protein (C1GP) is produced through the fermentation of certain unique microorganisms by utilizing the substrates from one carbon-related industrial exhaust gases, such as methane, methanol, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, which save time, land, water and resources, reduce greenhouse gases and waste materials, and offer sustainable protein sources.

The researchers from the Institute of Feed Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences introduced the latest progress on microorganisms, protein production technology, nutrition and products using one-carbon gases as substrate, as well as their application in aquatic feed.

They concluded the pathways for carbon sequestration and nitrogen sequestration of common one-carbon gases and reviewed the types of strains.

According to the researchers, C1GP has great potential in the aquatic feed with high transformation efficiency, wide adaptation and abundant nutrients.