Enhancing Single-Cell Protein Yield Through Grass-Based Substrates: A Study of Lolium perenne and Kluyveromyces marxianus

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202504.0321.v1
• Publication Date: 2025-04-07T02:31:56Z
• Authors: Tianyi Guo; Joshua Bode; Katrin Kuka; Nils Tippkötter
• Keywords: Kluyveromyces marxianus; Kluyveromyces; Lolium

This study evaluates Lolium perenne press juice as a sustainable substrate for Single-Cell Protein (SCP) production using Kluyveromyces marxianus. Key fermentation parameters were systematically optimized, including microbial reduction, dilution ratios, temperature, and nutrient supplementation. Pasteurization at 75 °C preserved essential nutrients better than autoclaving, resulting in 27.8% increase biomass yield. A 1:2 of enhanced efficiency, achieving 20.2% higher despite lower initial sugar content. Cultivation 30 enabled sustained utilization outperformed 40 fermentation, increasing final by 43.4%. Nutrient supplementation with yeast extract, peptone, glucose led to the highest yield, 71% compared unsupplemented juice. Press from tetraploid variety Explosion consistently diploid Honroso, especially when harvested early, reaching up 16.62 g·L⁻¹ biomass. Early harvests promoted faster growth, while late exhibited yield coefficients due improved sugar-to-biomass conversion. Compared conventional YM medium, L. achieved threefold These findings highlight potential grass-based substrates efficient SCP demonstrate how agricultural like harvest timing influence both quantity quality. The approach supports circular bioeconomy strategies valorizing underutilized through fermentation.