Trends in sustainable single-cell protein from non-grain feedstocks

Amid growing global food demands and escalating environmental crises, sustainable protein production faces critical challenges. Traditional agriculture is failing to meet rising demands due to resource inefficiency and climate impacts. Advanced single-cell protein (SCP) produced through microbial fermentation of non-grain feedstocks offers a promising alternative. Current SCP advancements prioritize enhancing non-grain feedstock utilization, expanding multifunctional applications, and integrating hybrid biosystems. Synthetic biology breakthroughs diversify non-grain feedstocks versatility beyond traditional one-carbon (C1)-feedstock like methanol to CO₂. Advanced SCP scalability is hampered by limited strain robustness, insufficient genome-editing precision, logistics of low-density non-grain feedstocks, and electrochemical energy carrier safety risks. By addressing these challenges, advanced SCP technologies promise to reshape global food systems, bridging the gap between circular carbon economies and nutritional security.