Generation of microbial protein feed (MPF) from waste and its application in aquaculture in China

Aquaculture is regarded as one of the fastest methods for preparing food and may be relied upon more and more in the future. Production can be seeded from fish caught in the wild and can be maintained with imported fish food however, aquaculture output and quality is limited by cost and resources, and there is an incentive to make it more environmentally sustainable. If these goals can be achieved, we will produce better quality fish and in higher volumes. Microbial protein feed (MPF) offers a sustainable feedstuff solution for the aquaculture industry in China, with the net benefits of taking less time to prepare, using less water and land, being recyclable and also reducing carbon emissions. MPF provides stable and high quality proteins and is produced through the fermentation of microorganisms by utilizing agricultural and industrial waste as substrates and been extensively used in fish and shrimp production in China. This review describes the microorganisms, raw materials, fermentation processes and nutritional components used in MPF production in aquaculture. We shall discuss also MPF large-scale production processes in detail and then finally, what opportunities and challenges are faced by MPF in Chinese aquaculture in the context of "double carbon" targets and Covid-19. High-efficiency biosynthesis technology using mono-carbon gases to produce protein will become an important field in the future, as it shall facilitate sustainable and healthy feedstocks for the aquaculture industry, and allow China to achieve the goal of lower carbon emissions.