§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give estimates of the annual quantities of protein manufactured in the United Kingdom by the microbial fermentation of hydrocarbons in the years 1973 to 1975; and what is likely to be the figure for 1976.
§ Mr. StrangOne company in the United Kingdom is manufacturing protein by the microbial fermentation of hydrocarbons. Up to 1,000 tons per year have been produced from a plant in used only in compound animal feeding-the United Kingdom. The products are278W used only in compound animal feeding-stuffs. Quantities are not expected to increase markedly in 1976.
Another company is producing pilot-scale amounts of protein by microbial fermentation of methanol: this is not a hydrocarbon but it can be derived from hydrocarbons.
§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the purpose of the work of the Novel Proteins Intelligence Unit of his Department, and the number of staff employed; and if he will give a list of their publications.
§ Mr. StrangThe Ministry's Novel Protein Intelligence Unit was formed within the Food Science Division in July 1972 and announced in "Food Facts" No. 32, 20th September 1972. The main purposes of the Unit are:
- (a) to co-ordinate the interests of and provide information to the various divisions within the Ministry likely to be affected by novel protein developments, and to liaise with other government departments;
- (b) to maintain contacts with and monitor research and development on novel proteins in the United Kingdom and abroad;
- (c) to assess and advise on the impact of novel proteins developments on national and international demands for agricultural and food products in particular conventional sources of food proteins.
The unit is staffed by one principal scientific officer with part-time clerical assistance.
The following publications and papers have been prepared by the unit:
Publications
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- Novel Proteins in the United States. R. B. Wilson, Bulletin 1, Novel Protein Intelligence Unit, Food Science Division, MAFF 1972, 28pp.
- Proceedings of two international symposia. A. Tolan, Bulletin 2, Novel Protein Intelligence Unit, Food Science Division, MAFF 1973, 17pp.
- Leaf Protein—current developments in the United Kingdom. A. Tolan, Bulletin 3, Novel Protein Intelligence Unit, MAFF 1974, 27pp.
- Single Cell Protein—potential for manufacture from waste materials. A. Tolan, Bulletin 4, Novel Protein Intelligence Unit, MAFF 1975, 28pp
Papers
- Novel Protein Foods and Feeds. R. B. Wilson, Meat Trades Journal, May 31 1973.
- Novel Protein Foods. A. Tolan, International Consumer 1973, XII (3), P 8–10.
- The Potential of Single Cell Protein for Animal Feed. A. Tolan and J. F. Hearne, Proc. Conf. Animal Feeds of Tropical and Sub-Tropical Origin 1975, P 59–64.
- Other papers have been presented at various meetings but have not been printed for publication.