Use of cereal crops for food and fuel – characterization of a novel bioethanol coproduct for use in meat poultry diets

The rising volume of bioethanol production is likely to saturate the market for the current coproduct, distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as its high fiber content limits its use in nonruminant feed. A novel process has been developed which separates out a protein‐rich yeast fraction from the ethanol stillage which may be more suitable as a feed ingredient for nonruminants than DDGS. The aim of this study was to characterize a high protein coproduct stream from wheat bioethanol production and to examine its efficacy as a protein source in meat poultry diets. The novel material was evaluated by examining effects of dietary inclusion on both pellet quality and key nutrient parameters for broiler chickens including feed conversion efficiency, mineral availability, and digestible amino acid content. Results showed that the yeast protein concentrate appears to be a viable feed material with the potential to partially replace soya in poultry feed and could be produced in large volumes. This scale of production of sustainable protein could alleviate some of the pressures on other protein sources and mitigate the high proportion of cereal consumed through bioethanol production. A protein‐rich, yeast fraction has been separated from the ethanol stillage. This study investigated its suitability as a protein source for poultry and compared its digestibility amino acid content with soya. The material appears a suitable feed source for poultry as a partial substitute for soya.