FAO Forum Conf 11 (Food processing)

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-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 29 June 2004 11:06
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 34: Rumen microorganisms - protein supply

I am Dr. Nand Lal, working as Reader at Department of Life Sciences at CSJM University, Kanpur, India.

The feeds of ruminants (forages and fibrous roughages) comprise of polysaccharides which can be broken down by mammalian digestive enzymes. Ruminants follow a special system of digestion that involves microbial fermentation of food prior to exposure to digestive enzymes. The ruminant feed is generally carbohydrate-rich and protein-deficient but the animals never suffer from protein deficiency. The beauty of rumen microorganisms is that they synthesize large amounts of microbial proteins and add it to undigested food. This microbial protein addition depends upon proteolytic organisms and their population, the amount of ammonia, carbon dioxide and organic acids produced from actual food proteins. Depending upon the nature of carbohydrates in food and extent of fermentation, the yield of microbial proteins in rumen is reported in the range of 130-260 mg/kg of organic matter digested. Thus rumen microorganisms have a 'leveling effect' on the protein supply in terms of quality and quantity. It is also possible to manipulate the synthetic ability of rumen bacteria by chemicals.

In light of the above fact, I wish to know:

Dr. Nand Lal
Deptt. of Life Sciences
C.S.J.M. University
Kanpur-24,
Uttar Pradesh
India
nl_pr (at) yahoo.co.in

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 29 June 2004 11:46
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 35: Re: Rumen microorganisms - protein supply

In response to Message 34 (June 29) by Nand Lal:

The answer to the first question is definitely YES - make an internet search through, for example, GOOGLE using "artificial rumen" as a keyword. The technique is used since more than 35 years and has evolved from simple batch fermenting using rumen fluid as an inoculum to continuous flow and even dual continuous flow systems since. It is widely used for testing cattle feed and adjuvants.

Prof Dr ir Marcel Hofman
President SCIBB
Chairman ORCOM ECB9
Series Editor Focus on Biotechnology
Fax 32 2 767 21 91 Tel 32 2 767 2399
Hondsbergen 2, BE-3080 Tervuren Belgium
mailto: secretariat (at) ecb9.be

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 29 June 2004 13:23
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 36: Re: Rumen microorganisms - protein supply

My name is Abdou Fall. I am Senegalese and I have a masters in Nutrition and in Food Sciences and Technology, but my work experience is in rural development, NGO capacity building, participatory research and action.

Before making a comment on message 34 (June 29, by Nand Lal), I want to say this conference is very interesting and useful for developing countries but because of the language use, it is excluding a large amount of French speaking people which is a pity. I am sorry but I use French to make a brief comment. [I also provide an English translation at the end of the message and hope that it accurately captures his comments...Moderator].

Un domaine pour l'utilisation des micro-organismes du rumen pour amélier la quantité et la qualité des protéines alimentaires c'est la nutrition infantile en Afrique de l'Ouest. Dans cette région l'aliment traditionnel de sevrage des enfants à partir de 6 mois est une bouillie à base de céréales. On sait que les céréales sont riches en glucides et pauvres en protéines. Ensuite tout leur potentiel protéique n'est pas utilisable du fait que la faible quantité de lysine. Dans certaines régions tels qu'au Sénégal, en Gambie...la farine de céréale utilisée n'est pas fermentée ou elle est peu fermentée. Je crois dans certains pays côtiers (Ghana, Nigéria, Togo...) ces farines sont fementées avant d'être utilisé pour l'alimentation des enfants. Est ce qu'il y a des recherches sur la fermentation des farines pour enfants? Quelles sont les souches utilisées? Est ce que les bacteries du rumen peuvent être utlisées pour améliorer le processus de fermentation des farines et la qualité des produits?

Abdou Fall
Responsable de Programme
FRAO/WARF
CP 13 Dakar Fann
Sénégal
Tel :221 869 27 40
Fax : 221 824 57 55
email : warfafa (at) cyg.sn

[An area for the use of rumen microorganisms to improve the quantity and quality of food proteins is in child nutrition in West Africa. In this region, the traditional food for weaning babies from 6 months onwards is a cereal-based gruel. We know that cereals are rich in carbohydrates but poor in protein. In addition, all their protein potential is not usable because of the low lysine quantity. In certains areas, such as in Senegal or Gambia, the flour of the cereal is not fermented or it is fermented just a little. I think that in some coastal countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Togo), these flours are fermented before being used as baby food. Is there research on fermentation of the flour for children? What are the strains used? Can rumen bacteria be used to improve the fermentation process of the flour and the quality of the products?...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 29 June 2004 13:57
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 37: Re: Rumen microorganisms - protein supply

May I, before someone jumps one bridge too far and starts experimenting, just add a word of warning:
The rumen microfauna is not only beneficial nor purely bacterial, but comprises also other organisms, fungi and protozoa. Some of these are not directly inoffensive when swallowed by humans. One of my lab assistants, some 40 years ago when we were working on rumen fluid, got the most beautiful white angina, getting a tiny amount of rumen fluid in her mouth by disregarding the appropiate procedure for pipetting the stuff.

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