Integrating Production Of Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids With Barley Protein Concentrate Production

Aquaculture, fish farming, is a major global industry which uses millions of tons of fish meal and soy protein concentrates as protein sources in fish feeds. Montana BioAgriculture developed a patented process for producing a protein concentrate from barley. The barley protein concentrate, BPC, is now in commercial production with nutritional advantages as a protein source in fish feeds.The BPC process converts the starch in barley to the sugar glucose as a co-product. Certain fresh water algae and yeast can convert glucose to omega 3 oil. The glucose provides an opportunity to increase the value of BPC technology by combining production of omega 3 oils with the BPC process. The omega 3 oil will compete with fish oil now used in aquaculture feed.Phase 1 Objectives1. Select an efficient strain of microalgae or yeast for producing omega 3 oils using glucose from the BPC process.2. Design a process combining of omega 3 oil production with the BPC process and estimate economics.Combining omega 3 oil with BPC production will increase the value of BPC to fish farms by providing both a high value protein and omega 3 oil for fish feeds. The project will improve the economics of BPC production by providing a high value use for the glucose produced in the BPC process.BPC is a value added agriculture product which provides grain farmers with a new market for barley. A domestic source of high value protein and oil will help make the US more competitive in global aquaculture.