{"id":85267,"key":"Potential_of_microbial_protein_from_hydrogen_for_preventing_mass_starvation_in_catastrophic_scenarios","title":"Potential of microbial protein from hydrogen for preventing mass starvation in catastrophic scenarios","latest":{"id":1224964,"timestamp":"2026-01-09T01:58:54Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"{{MOST}}\n\n[[File:Scp.png|thumb]]\n\n{{Publication data\n| type = Paper\n| cite-as = Juan B. García Martínez, Joseph Egbejimba, James Throup. Silvio Matassa, Joshua M. Pearce, David C. Denkenberger. Potential of microbial protein from hydrogen for preventing mass starvation in catastrophic scenarios ''Sustainable Production and Consumption'' 25, (2021) 234-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2020.08.011 [https://www.academia.edu/43964333/Potential_of_microbial_protein_from_hydrogen_for_preventing_mass_starvation_in_catastrophic_scenarios open access]\n}}\n\nHuman civilization's food production system is currently unprepared for catastrophes that would reduce global food production by 10% or more, such as nuclear winter, supervolcanic eruptions or asteroid impacts. Alternative foods that do not require much or any sunlight have been proposed as a more cost-effective solution than increasing food stockpiles, given the long duration of many global catastrophic risks (GCRs) that could hamper conventional agriculture for 5 to 10 years.\n\nMicrobial food from single cell protein (SCP) produced via hydrogen from both gasification and electrolysis is analyzed in this study as alternative food for the most severe food shock scenario: a sun-blocking catastrophe. Capital costs, resource requirements and ramp up rates are quantified to determine its viability. Potential bottlenecks to fast deployment of the technology are reviewed.\n\nThe ramp up speed of food production for 24/7 construction of the facilities over 6 years is estimated to be lower than other alternatives (3-10% of the global protein requirements could be fulfilled at end of first year), but the nutritional quality of the microbial protein is higher than for most other alternative foods for catastrophes. Results suggest that investment in SCP ramp up should be limited to the production capacity that is needed to fulfill only the minimum recommended protein requirements of humanity during the catastrophe. Further research is needed into more uncertain concerns such as transferability of labor and equipment production. This could help reduce the negative impact of potential food-related GCRs.\n\n{{Pearce publications notice}}\n\n== Keywords ==\n\n Low sunlight; Nuclear winter; Existential risk; alternative food; existential risk; global catastrophic risk; public health; sustainable food systems; Single Cell Protein; Hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria; Food Security; Nuclear Winter\n\n== See also ==\n\n{{Alt-food}}\n\n{{Page data\n| title-tag = Potential of Microbial Protein from Hydrogen for Mass Starvation Prevention\n| description = Learn how microbial protein could support food security. Appropedia explains research on resilience solutions.\n}}"}