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Chinese scientists convert coal into protein to answer animal feed demand
- After studying thousands of samples, a Chinese team has developed a method of creating protein using methanol derived from coal
- This will help provide a low-cost solution to the growing need for animal feed, which is surging due to the rising global population
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Zhang Tongin Beijing
As the global demand for animal feed continues to soar, researchers in China have developed a groundbreaking method to create protein using methanol derived from coal that is both inexpensive and highly efficient.
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It is the first time the production of protein from coal has been economically feasible.
With a rising global population, the demand for food is also growing, which in turn has led to a surging demand for protein to use in animal feed. China, in particular, is facing a severe shortage of protein resources.
Despite having been the world leader in pig and aquaculture production for several years, China depends heavily on imported soybeans for animal feed, with an annual import volume of about 100 million tonnes and a dependency rate exceeding 80 per cent.
Developing fast, efficient methods of producing high-quality proteins is therefore very important. And the most promising solution lies in biotechnology synthesis.
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There are several routes for biological protein synthesis. The simplest involves converting by-products from the food and agricultural industries, such as corn steep liquor, distillers grains and straw, into higher-value protein products through microbial transformation. However, these by-products often already have established uses, and their variable supply and quality make industrial production challenging.
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