Spirulina (Arthrospira) as a green food supplement: production, quality assurance and application

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis, A. maxima) is a microscopic and filamentous cyanobacterium that has been used as food for centuries. Spirulina is a rich source of protein, essential amino acids, and essential fatty acids like gamma linoleic acid (GLA). It contains antioxidant pigments like mixed carotenoids, including beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, and the rare blue pigment, phycocyanin. The alga has been commercialized since the early 1980s, and is widely sold in health food stores and other outlets worldwide. It is grown commercially, mainly in open raceway ponds. Outdoor mass production of algae has been subject of intense investigation. The main problems of production cited are a) light limitation and/or light inhibition depending on diurnal and seasonal distribution of the available radiation, b) the ambient temperature, which also varies diurnally and seasonally, c) the mixing rate of the culture, which affects nutrient and light distribution and shear stress and d) contamination by other algae. Other aspects of commercial production that present a problem in the mass culture of algae are harvest efficiency and continuous recycling of nutrients over an entire growth season. These is great variability in the quality of Spirulina sold in the market. Although there are many producers, only a few provide products that must strict national and international safety and quality guidelines. Many producers do not even meet their own label claims for nutritional content, on the heavy metal standards set by the countries where the products are sold. This presentation highlights the importance of quality assurance in Spirulina production. Spirulina is widely used as an ingredient in various functional foods, in addition to its use as a dietary supplement. It is used in energy bars, smoothies, juices, confectionery and frozen foods, to mention a few. Its health benefits have been very well established in several in in vitro, animal and human studies. There is now strong evidence to suggest that Spirulina promotes innate or cell-mediated immunity and that it has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. It has been shown to inhibit oxidative stress in various models of inflammation. This presentation highlights some important studies in the health benefits of Spirulina.