6.4.5 using biotechnology to make food

• production of protein can be many times faster than animal/plant production • biomass produced has very high protein content • production can be increased & decreased according to demand • no animal welfare issues • microorganisms provide good source of protein • protein contains no animal fat or cholesterol • microorganisms can easily be genetically modified to adjust amino acid content of protein • SCP production could be combined with removal of waste products • production is independent of seasonal variations • not much land required

• some people may not want to eat fungal protein or food that has been grown on waste • isolation of the protein –> microorganisms are grown in huge fermenters & need to be isolated from material in which they grow • protein has to be purified to ensure it’s uncontaminated • microbial biomass can have high proportion of nucleic acids, which must be removed • amino acid profile may be different from traditional animal protein –> & particularly it can be deficient in methionine • infection: conditions needed for microorganisms to grow are also ideal for pathogenic organisms –> care must be taken to ensure culture isn’t infected with wrong organisms • palatability: the protein doesn’t have taste or texture of traditional protein sources