Maarten Muys

Proviron | PROVIRON · Microalgae

Consortia of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB) have potential as sustainable microbial protein (MP) source in animal feed. A systematic screening of the nutritional value and safety of AHB biomass from full-scale activated sludge plants from 25 companies in the food sector was performed. The variable protein content (21-49%) was positively corre...

Production of struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) from waste streams is increasingly implemented to recover phosphorus (P), which is listed as a critical raw material in the European Union (EU). To facilitate EU-wide trade of P-containing secondary raw materials such as struvite, the EU issued a revised fertilizer regulation in 2019. A comprehensive overview...

Microalgal biomass production is a resource-efficient answer to the exponentially increasing demand for protein, yet variability in biomass quality is largely unexplored. Nutritional value and safety were determined for Chlorella and Spirulina biomass from different producers, production batches and the same production batch. Chlorella presented a...

To provide for the globally increasing demand for proteinaceous food, microbial protein (MP) has the potential to become an alternative food or feed source. Phosphorus (P), on the other hand, is a critical raw material whose global reserves are declining. Growing microbial protein on recovered phosphorus, for instance, struvite obtained from wastew...

Consortia of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB) are appealing as sustainable alternative protein ingredient for aquaculture given their high quality, and their production potential on feed-grade industrial wastewater. Today, the impact between pre-treatment, bioprocess choice and key parameter setting on AHB productivity and nutritional propertie...

Increasing efforts are directed towards the development of sustainable alternative protein sources among which microbial protein (MP) is one of the most promising. Especially when waste streams are used as substrates, the case for MP could become environmentally favorable. The risks of using organic waste streams for MP production–the presence of p...

Aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB) and purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) are typically explored as two separate types of microbial protein, yet their properties as respectively a bulk and added-value feed ingredient make them appealing for combined use. The feasibility of cocultivation in a sequential photo- and chemotrophic approach was investig...

Livestock production is utilizing large amounts of protein-rich feed ingredients such as soybean meal. The proven negative environmental impacts of soybean meal production incentivize the search for alternative protein sources. One promising alternative is Microbial Protein (MP), i.e. dried microbial biomass. To date, only few life cycle assessment...

Struvite is considered a source of recovered phosphorus, that can replace phosphate rock in the production of fertilisers. The ongoing revision of the fertiliser directive may enable the inclusion of struvite into the EU wide production of secondary raw material-based fertiliser. Evidence from the SUSFERT project indicates that 13 of the 14 struvit...

Arthrospira (Spirulina) and Chlorella have been commercially produced since the 1960s, however, the exact variation in nutritional value and safety in commercially available microalgae is largely unknown, as well as the influence of operational parameters on this nutritional quality. In the presented work, the variability in nutritional value was...

We are, undeniably, in the midst of a food revolution, driven by necessity rather than societal trends. The global population and standard of living result in a protein demand that outstrips supply. In just over 30 years, we need to produce 50% more protein than is currently available, with increases of 82 and 102% for dairy and meat products, resp...

Microalga Dunaliella salina is known for its carotenogenesis. At the same time, it can also produce high-quality protein. The optimal conditions for D. salina to co-produce intracellular pools of both compounds, however, are yet unknown. This study investigated a two-phase cultivation strategy to optimize combined high-quality protein and carotenoi...

The microalgal genera Arthrospira (Spirulina) and Chlorella have been commercially produced since the 1960s. A systematic approach to determine the exact extend of the variation in biochemical biomass composition in industrial quality microalgae is lacking, as is an in-depth analysis including all nutritional parameters. Variability in nutritional...

The microalga Dunaliella salina has been widely studied for carotenogenesis, yet its protein production for human nutrition has rarely been reported. This study unveils the effects of growth phase and light regime on protein and essential amino acid (EAA) levels in D. salina. Cultivation under 24-h continuous light was compared to 12-h/12-h light/d...

Human urine accounts for only a fraction of the sewage volume, but it contains the majority of valuable nutrient load in wastewater. In this study, synthetic urine was nitrified in a closed photo-bioreactor through photosynthetic oxygenation by means of a consortium of microalgae and nitrifying bacteria. In situ production of oxygen by photosynthet...

In order to sustain human life in an isolated environment, an efficient conversion of wasted nutrients to food might become mandatory. This is particularly the case for space missions where resupply from earth or in-situ resource utilization is not possible or desirable. A combination of different technologies is needed to allow full recycling of e...

Urine contains the majority of nutrients in urban wastewaters and is an ideal nutrient recovery target. In this study, stabilization of real undiluted urine through nitrification and subsequent microalgae cultivation were explored as strategy for biological nutrient recovery. A nitrifying inoculum screening revealed a commercial aquaculture inoculu...

In 2050 zullen wereldwijd drie miljard mensen tot de middenklasse behoren, met het bijbehorende eiwitrijke – lees: vleesrijke – voedingspatroon. Door die stijgende vraag naar vlees dreigen we te botsen tegen de grenzen van de draagkracht van onze planeet. Zijn algen, bacteriën en schimmels de oplossing?