By Emiro Alejandro Leal / Ciencia Amateur
Reviewed by Aurea K. Ramírez Jiménez and Elisa Dufoo Hurtado
What if your favorite burger or protein shake wasn’t made from meat or plants but from microorganisms grown in a lab?
It might sound like science fiction, but single-cell proteins (SCPs) are turning that idea into reality.
Microorganisms have been part of human diets for thousands of years, from fermented drinks like beer and kombucha to sourdough bread. Today, these microscopic allies could help solve one of the biggest challenges facing food science: feeding a growing global population without exhausting natural resources.
As the population heads toward an estimated 9.8 billion by 2050 [1], the pressure on land, water, and energy to sustain livestock production will intensify. Instead of asking “What will we eat?” the more urgent questions become: “How will we produce enough food?” and “What impact will it have on our planet?”
In response, food scientists are exploring innovative alternatives, ranging from plant-based by-products and insect-based foods to single-cell proteins. SCPs are typically defined as dried and inactivated microbial cells or proteins derived from microorganisms such as algae, bacteria, cyanobacteria, yeast, and fungi [2].
What makes SCPs especially promising is their impressive nutritional profile. They’re rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, yet low in fat. They also require no farmland and can be produced using renewable raw materials, including food waste and industrial by-products.
Fast-growing and highly efficient, these microbial “power plants” can convert feedstocks into high-quality protein [3].
Microscopic Farms, Macro Potential
The production of SCPs follows a multi-step process: substrate pretreatment, fermentation, protein extraction, post-processing, and—in many cases—incorporation into food products.
The substrate must provide carbon, nitrogen, and other essential nutrients like phosphorus. While conventional raw materials can be used, the industry is turning to organic waste and by-products, improving sustainability and economic viability [4].
Microorganisms such as yeast, fungi, algae, and bacteria have already been grown on wastewater, municipal waste, and food or plant scraps. Pretreatment techniques—physical, biological, or chemical—help break down complex organic matter into a form microbes can digest [4].
One example comes from the Sustainable Bioproducts Research Group at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Querétaro campus. Researchers are developing SCPs using spent agave fiber from mezcal production as a substrate. Early findings show that pretreating the fiber through alkalization and solid-state fermentation enhances its availability, making it suitable for a second fermentation to produce single-cell protein.
During fermentation, microbes consume the carbon source and generate protein-rich biomass. While several production methods exist, stirred-tank bioreactors are the most common and yield the highest outputs. Post-processing involves steps like separation, concentration, drying, and sometimes sterilization or pasteurization to ensure food safety.
The final product often resembles commercial protein powders that are easy to store, transport, and integrate into food formulations.
From Bioreactor to Burger
Alternative proteins may rise, but will consumers embrace food enriched with dehydrated microbial proteins?
A recent study [3] suggests there’s reason for optimism. While plant-based proteins were preferred by 58% of participants, SCPs received a solid 20% acceptance rate. For instance, bread enriched with 4% SCP derived from food waste maintained its flavor, texture, and overall appeal.
In the same study, cereal bars and pasta fortified with SCP not only delivered improved nutritional value but also preserved taste and mouthfeel. In some cases, consumers even perceived SCP-enriched products—like breadsticks—as healthier and of higher value.
Driven by growing protein demand, the SCP industry is expanding rapidly and is projected to surpass $18.5 billion by 2030.
Moreover, the ability to upcycle agricultural and food waste into valuable protein makes SCPs compelling for economic and environmental sustainability. Challenges remain, including optimizing fermentation, embracing circular economy principles, and expanding food applications.
Equally important will be consumer acceptance. But if those barriers can be overcome, SCPs produced from renewable sources could play a critical role in reducing food waste and meeting global nutrition needs.
Note: The research conducted by the Sustainable Bioproducts Research Group at Tecnológico de Monterrey is supported by The Good Food Institute, Inc., under grant GFI number 23-FM-MX-FC-1-602_Ramírez Jiménez.
References
- United Nations. (n.d.). The world population projected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100. Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
- Reihani, S. F. S., & Khosravi-Darani, K. (2019). Influencing factors on single-cell protein production by submerged fermentation: A review. In Electronic Journal of Biotechnology (Vol. 37, pp. 34–40). Elsevier BV.
- Koukoumaki, D. I., Tsouko, E., Papanikolaou, S., Ioannou, Z., Diamantopoulou, P., & Sarris, D. (2024). Recent advances in the production of single cell protein from renewable resources and applications. In Carbon Resources Conversion (Vol. 7, Issue 2, p. 100195). Elsevier BV.
- Fernández-López, L., González-García, P., Fernández-Ríos, A., Aldaco, R., Laso, J., Martínez-Ibáñez, E., Gutiérrez-Fernández, D., Pérez-Martínez, M. M., Marchisio, V., Figueroa, M., de Sousa, D. B., Méndez, D., & Margallo, M. (2024). Life cycle assessment of single cell protein production–A review of current technologies and emerging challenges. In Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy (Vol. 8, p. 100079). Elsevier BV.
- García-Segovia, P., García Alcaraz, V., Tárrega, A., & Martínez-Monzó, J. (2020). Consumer perception and acceptability of microalgae based breadstick. Food science and technology international – Ciencia y tecnologia de los alimentos internacional, 26(6), 493–502.
Author
Emiro Alejandro Leal Urbina. Biotechnology Engineer, graduating with honors from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Toluca Campus. He is pursuing a Master of Science in Biotechnology at the Sustainable Bioproducts Research Group at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Querétaro Campus. His research focuses on optimizing the production of single-cell proteins using waste from the Mexican food industry.
Reviewers
This article was reviewed by Aurea K. Ramírez Jiménez and Elisa Dufoo Hurtado from the Sustainable Bioproducts Research Group, which focuses on nutrigenomic studies of functional foods and the valorization of agro-industrial waste—particularly agave bagasse, vinasse, and other food industry by-products.
Aurea K. Ramírez Jiménez is a research professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences at Tecnológico de Monterrey and leads the Sustainable Bioproducts Research Group. Her work centers on nutrigenomic studies of functional foods through the revalorization of agro-industrial residues. She is a member of the AlfaNutra International Network for Functional and Nutraceutical Foods, the Mexican Association of Food Science, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), and the scientist network of The Good Food Institute.
Elisa Dufoo Hurtado is a postdoctoral researcher with the Sustainable Bioproducts Research Group, specializing in the valorization of agro-industrial waste—agave bagasse—for sustainable food proteins through innovative fermentation processes. She contributes to the international project From Waste to Feast: Fostering Sustainable Proteins with Agave Bagasse Using Two-Stage Fermentation and leads research on functional foods and their nutrigenomic effects.
