10073962PROFILE - Protein RecOvery for Food using Ionic Liquid ExtractionClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKBy 2050, the world will need to produce twice as much protein as it does today to feed its population. Meeting this demand would traditionally require 25,000 km2 grazing land for cattle, for example, or 2,000km2 of soya plantations, neither of which is sustainable. At Arborea, we believe the answer lies in photosynthetic microalgae. These microscopic organisms can be cultivated in bioreactors, removing the need for precious agricultural land, and can produce up to 100x more protein per hectare than soya. However, production costs and customer perceptions have prevented microalgae becoming a commodity protein for human consumption. Chlorophyll, fats and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) create unpleasant 'off-flavours', limiting the applications in which microalgae can be used to niche supplements and animal feed. The PROFILE project will develop a novel approach to microalgae protein production towards commercial viability. Using University of Greenwich's state-of-the-art facilities, we will identify key flavour and colour compounds, before using next-generation recyclable solvents developed by Imperial College London to remove the unwanted compounds through a low-cost, environmentally friendly process. This is made possible through the use of waste carbon dioxide during production and non-toxic, recyclable solvents in a low-temperature process for protein extraction. The resultant protein isolate will have low off-flavours and low-colour, making it an attractive food ingredient. By licensing the technology to food manufacturers, we will create a UK value chain for microalgae protein worth over £135m. In doing so, Arborea and its licensees will produce 26,500 tonnes of carbon-neutral, UK-produced protein by 2030, eliminating 1 million tonnes of CO2e emissions compared to beef production and displacing imports of environmentally destructive soya.