Unibio Converts Natural Gas to Protein, Helping Meet Protein ... - USA TODAY

Unibio Converts Natural Gas to Protein, Helping Meet Protein Demands of Growing World Population

With the world’s human population expected to grow to almost 10 billion by 2050, there is a huge need to find new sources of protein while reducing the impact on the environment. In order to feed such a huge number of people, there needs to be sustainable solutions to food production. However, scaling up the production of common feedstock, such as soy and fishmeal, can have negative effects on forest cover and ocean biodiversity, respectively.

Unibio, a protein company located in Denmark and the UK, has developed a novel technology that takes methane e.g. natural gas and biogas, and transforms it into protein by way of microbial fermentation. Its patented U-Loop® technology was developed in cooperation with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and is the result of more than 20 years of research. The end product, known as Uniprotein®, can be used to supplement animal feed and is under development for human consumption.

This natural process relies on a microbe, known as Methylococcus capsulatus, that feeds on methane gas. This microbe is found in lakes where the decomposition of dead plants and animals produces natural gas, which is mostly methane. Methylococcus consumes this methane, along with oxygen and minerals in the water, and the microbes are, in turn, consumed by fish and other animals.

The U-Loop® fermenter provides optimal growth conditions for the microbe, supplying methane, oxygen, nitrogen, and a blend of minerals, allowing the microbes to double in number every two hours. Its unique design results in maximum yield. After harvesting the microbe, moisture is removed, leaving what is known as biomass. The biomass is then heat-treated, turning it into a homogenous, easy-to-digest granule, containing 70% protein, that is used in aquaculture, livestock starter feed, and pet food. Uniprotein® is not genetically modified, fully traceable, and does not contain pesticides or fertilizers, meeting international safety requirements.

According to Unibio, the amount of land used to produce one ton of soy protein can be used to produce 14,000 tons of Uniprotein®, taking pressure off the need to clear forests or grasslands to convert them into soy farms. Another common protein ingredient in animal feed is fishmeal, which has met its sustainability cap. In June, the Peruvian government canceled the anchovy fishing season, due to the fish not being mature enough to harvest. The cancellation, as well as several similar events worldwide, have affected the supply of fishmeal. Changing climate and overfishing have severely impacted fish stocks globally, resulting in the worst fishmeal supply crunch in several decades.

Plant-derived proteins lack two essential amino acids for animals, methionine and lysine. Meanwhile, protein derived from animals, fungi, and microbes, such as Uniprotein®, contain all the needed amino acids. Uniprotein®’s amino acid profile is comparable and, in some cases, superior to high-quality fishmeal, making it a viable substitute for use in aquaculture.

"The world needs to speed up investments in novel food because the supply of food is very vulnerable and there may not be sufficient in the long run. The population is growing, and we are starting to see weaknesses in the current supply. The recent cancellation of the Peruvian anchovy fishing season and reduced supply of grain from Russia and Ukraine due to the conflict are examples of unforeseen weather variations and conflicts that can cause immediate disruptions. We must expect similar situations will appear in the future and create a lack of food/a growing hunger in the world. Unibio’s novel food source shows very promising results and offers both better food security and food safety but will require significant investment to deploy production facilities globally," said Unibio’s CEO David Henstrom.

He goes on to say that it takes many years to develop new methods for industrial-scale production of new sustainable protein sources. New products have to be developed, modified, tested, and approved by regulators, and customers need to be convinced to shift to a new product. Backed by more than 20 years of research and development, Unibio has been able to accomplish all these, with the technology already at a commercial scale and ready to be rolled out globally.

Henstrom says that Unibio is in touch with many countries that are looking to ensure food security, including the domestic production of animal feed. It recently received a $70 million investment from the Saudi Industrial Investment Group to catalyze Unibio’s growth. With the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia looking to increase its fish production to more than 600,000 tons annually by 2030, the timing could not be better.

“Through Unibio’s U-Loop® technology, Unibio is providing the world with a sustainable source of protein for animal and aquaculture feeds, which will help feed the growing population. And, we can accomplish it without using any arable land and with significantly less water than traditional proteins,” Henstrom says. “Over the next 10 years, we intend to grow annual capacity to over a million tons, to serve the rapidly growing demand for protein. To do this, we are looking to work with various partners, especially in areas where methane or biomethane is abundant. We hope to partner with like-minded entities interested in capitalizing on this opportunity to satiate a growing population.”
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