Bacterial protein for food and feed generated via renewable energy and direct air capture of CO2: Can it reduce land and water use?

Jani Sillman; Lauri Nygren; Helena Kahiluoto; Vesa Ruuskanen; Anu Tamminen; Cyril Bajamundi; Marja Nappa; Mikko Wuokko; Tuomo Lindh; Pasi Vainikka; Juha Pekka Pitkänen; Jero Ahola

doi:10.1016/j.gfs.2019.09.007

Bacterial protein for food and feed generated via renewable energy and direct air capture of CO₂: Can it reduce land and water use?

Jani Sillman^*
, Lauri Nygren
, Helena Kahiluoto
, Vesa Ruuskanen
, Anu Tamminen
, Cyril Bajamundi
, Marja Nappa
, Mikko Wuokko
, Tuomo Lindh
, Pasi Vainikka
, Juha Pekka Pitkänen
, Jero Ahola

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

125 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The global food demand is projected to significantly increase. To maintain global food security in the future, protein production needs to become more efficient regarding the use of limited land and water resources. Protein-rich biomass can be produced via direct air capture of CO₂ with the help of H₂-oxidizing bacteria and renewable electricity in a closed, climate-independent system. This quantitative literature review conservatively estimated the direct land and water use of bacterial protein production relying on secondary data for the components of the technology and for the reference protein sources. A several times higher potential protein yield per land area can be achieved by this technology with approximately one-tenth of the water use compared to that required for soybean production.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	25-32
Journal	Global Food Security
Volume	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.09.007
Publication status	Published - 2019
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Academy of Finland for providing funding for the study Microbial Oil and Proteins from Air by Electricity-Driven Microbes; funding decision 295883 for VTT and 295866 for LUT.

Keywords

Bio-electrochemical system
Carbon capture and utilization
Carbon dioxide
Direct air capture
Environmental sustainability
Hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria
Land use
Microbial biomass
Microbial protein (MP)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.gfs.2019.09.007

Cite this

Sillman, J., Nygren, L., Kahiluoto, H., Ruuskanen, V., Tamminen, A., Bajamundi, C., Nappa, M., Wuokko, M., Lindh, T., Vainikka, P., Pitkänen, J. P., & Ahola, J. (2019). Bacterial protein for food and feed generated via renewable energy and direct air capture of CO₂: Can it reduce land and water use? Global Food Security, 22, 25-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.09.007

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abstract = "The global food demand is projected to significantly increase. To maintain global food security in the future, protein production needs to become more efficient regarding the use of limited land and water resources. Protein-rich biomass can be produced via direct air capture of CO2 with the help of H2-oxidizing bacteria and renewable electricity in a closed, climate-independent system. This quantitative literature review conservatively estimated the direct land and water use of bacterial protein production relying on secondary data for the components of the technology and for the reference protein sources. A several times higher potential protein yield per land area can be achieved by this technology with approximately one-tenth of the water use compared to that required for soybean production.",

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Sillman, J, Nygren, L, Kahiluoto, H, Ruuskanen, V, Tamminen, A , Bajamundi, C, Nappa, M, Wuokko, M, Lindh, T, Vainikka, P, Pitkänen, JP & Ahola, J 2019, 'Bacterial protein for food and feed generated via renewable energy and direct air capture of CO₂: Can it reduce land and water use?', Global Food Security, vol. 22, pp. 25-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.09.007

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T2 - Can it reduce land and water use?

AU - Sillman, Jani

AU - Nygren, Lauri

AU - Kahiluoto, Helena

AU - Ruuskanen, Vesa

AU - Tamminen, Anu

AU - Bajamundi, Cyril

AU - Nappa, Marja

AU - Wuokko, Mikko

AU - Lindh, Tuomo

AU - Vainikka, Pasi

AU - Pitkänen, Juha Pekka

AU - Ahola, Jero

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KW - Carbon capture and utilization

KW - Carbon dioxide

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KW - Environmental sustainability

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KW - Microbial biomass

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