Certain bacteria use methane gas as a carbon and energy source. This characteristic has been used to produce a protein-rich bacterial meal (BioProtein®) grown on natural gas from the North Sea.

Turid Synnøve Aas investigated the use of BPM as a protein source in feed for salmon, rainbow trout and halibut. She compared BPM with fish meal and documented different tolerance levels for BPM in the three fish species. Based on growth rate, feed intake and feed utilisation, BPM appeared to be an excellent protein source in salmon feed when the feed contained up to 36% of this product. Growth rate and feed utilisation in salmon was greater when the amount of BPM in the feed increased, even though the digestibility of nutrients decreased. Satisfactory results were also achieved in rainbow trout given feed containing up to 27% BPM. For halibut, however, it appeared that the product should only be used at moderate levels (9%).

BPM is rich in protein and can be produced in large quantities if conditions are favourable.Because the availability of fish meal is limited, BPM could therefore be a good alternative.