Dried aerobic heterotrophic bacteria from treatment of food and beverage effluents: Screening of correlations between operation parameters and microbial protein quality

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 correlated with biomass-specific nitrogen loading rate and negatively with sludge retention time (SRT). Compared to the essential amino acid profile of soybean meal protein, AHB displayed an overall surplus of threonine and valine, and deficits in cysteine, histidine, lysine and phenylalanine. Histidine was positively correlated with bCOD/PO 4 3− in the influent and valine, isoleucine and threonine with SRT. Most AHB samples were safe apropos heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and antibiotics. Some pesticides exceeded regulatory limits, necessitating mitigation. This work highlighted that the food sector can provide high-quality MP, while retrofitting existing activated sludge plants towards high-rate processes can increase AHB quality and productivity.