Spirulina Products Research Articles

Development and experimental performance evaluation of a small-scale aquavoltaic system for microalgae production

The primary objective of this study is to develop a small aquavoltaic system and evaluate key parameters, including dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, water temperature and dead zones in an open raceway pond to improve the conditions for the production of microalgae while generating electricity. The key variable parameters examined were the rotation speed of a paddle wheel at 10, 20 and 30 rpm, water depth at 15, 25 and 35 cm and response time at 0.5, 1 and 1.5 h were evaluated during May 9–15, 2023. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Central Composite Design (CCD) were used to optimize these parameters for acheiving DO levels suitable for microalgae production. The findings showed that increasing the rotation speed of a paddlewheel at the appropriate water depth significantly influences the flow rate, thereby controling DO levels. A maximum DO value of 6.94 mg/l was achieved after 1 h at a water depth of 25 cm and the paddle wheel rotation speed of 20 rpm. Increasing the rotation speed from 10 to 30 rpm resulted in DO values within the optimal range of 6–7 mg/l, reducing dead zones from 21.05 % to 9.16 %. However, with a paddle wheel spinning at 10 rpm, DO decreased below 5 mg/l with increasing water depth and minimal shading, with pH reaching a minimum of 6.8 ppm. Addiotionally, the experiments revealed no significant difference in efficiency between modules installed in open ponds and those installed on the ground over short time periods. The economic analysis indicated that spirulina production costs are 7 % higher with the non-aquavoltaic system due to non-solar electricity use. Furtehrmore, the cost of spirulina produced with the aquavoltaic system was 0.4975 USD/g at a 5 % interest rate and 0.331 USD/g at a 10 % interest rate in the fifth year. The current study underlines that aquavoltaics could have the potential to further increase the production of microalgae and thus reduce production costs. This opens up opportunities for long-term research leading to further optimization between energy production and environmental sustainability in aquaculture systems.

Nutrient balance for enhanced recovery of stressed Spirulina platensis.

The failure of mass production of Spirulina plateaus can be attributed to an imbalance of nutrients (C:N) and an increase in accumulated sodium ions, coupled with the traditional harvesting process. The current study aims at the recovery of stressed and red cultures of Spirulina platensis as well as enhanced phycocyanin accumulation. The stressed Spirulina platensis cultures were obtained from a local Egyptian Spirulina production farms, which were further subjected to water analyses after removing the Spirulina biomass. Optimization was performed within 300-ml water path photobioreactor. Spirulina platensis samples were incubated with Zarrouk medium comparing with those modified using ammonium bicarbonate or ammonium acetate instead of sodium bicarbonate. Continuous batching was performed every 12days during three sequenced batches. Growth measurements (dry weight and pigments) were performed along the incubation time. It was found that carbon content of the growth medium seems to be more effective in Spirulina growth and biomass characteristics. Under different carbon sources, acetate resulted in the maximum dry weight of 1.48g·l-1 and recovery percentage of 463.3%. Such effect was extended along the different incubation batches. Various carbon concentrations revealed that moderate concentration of carbon in the form of acetate (0.699g·l-1) leads to the maximum growth under the same nitrogen content. A similar trend was observed with chlorophyll and phycocyanin accumulation, while carotenoids showed the opposite manner.

Manufacturing processes, additional nutritional value and versatile food applications of fresh microalgae Spirulina.

Spirulina is capable of using light energy and fixing carbon dioxide to synthesize a spectrum of organic substances, including proteins, polysaccharides, and unsaturated fatty acids, making it one of the most coveted food resources for humanity. Conventionally, Spirulina products are formulated into algal powder tablets or capsules. However, the processing and preparation of these products, involving screw pump feeding, extrusion, high-speed automation, and high-temperature dewatering, often result in the rupture of cell filaments, cell fragmentation, and the unfortunate loss of vital nutrients. In contrast, fresh Spirulina, cultivated within a closed photobioreactor and transformed into an edible delight through harvesting, washing, filtering, and sterilizing, presents a refreshing taste and odor. It is gradually earning acceptance as a novel health food among the general public. This review delves into the manufacturing processes of fresh Spirulina, analyzes its nutritional advantages over conventional algal powder, and ultimately prospects the avenues for fresh Spirulina's application in modern food processing. The aim is to provide valuable references for the research and development of new microalgal products and to propel the food applications of microalgae forward.

Environmental implications and hidden costs of artisanal spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) production and consumption

This study aims to assess for the first time the environmental interactions of artisanal spirulina production and consumption, addressing a holistic approach by including the nutritional properties within the assessment and an economic analysis. To do so, life cycle assessment is conducted defining the system boundaries from cradle to consumer and two functional units: mass-based (1 kg of product) and nutrient-based (Spanish Nutrient Rich (super)Food 9.2 score). Afterwards, the monetization of the environmental impacts using the ‘eco-cost’ method and the internalization of externalities to estimate the real cost of spirulina is performed. The purely environmental analysis identifies cultivation as the main hotspot of the product system, reporting a total average carbon footprint of 3.5 kg CO2 eq./kg, while together with the nutritional model, it reveals the potential of spirulina supplements by reducing the impacts as consequence of its rich nutritional profile. In monetary terms, the internalization of external costs linked to the impacts are trivial compared to the selling price of spirulina; only 3.6€ per kg of spirulina should be invested to avoid the negative effects of its production, while its market price sums up to 217€/kg. This value falls drastically by including the nutritional index in the evaluation, as well as varies significantly when modifying the monetization method, which constitutes a constraint at the same time that a challenge for future studies.

A Review on Culture, Production and Use of Spirulina as Food for Humans and Feeds for Domestic Animals and Fish Padavi

This paper presents a comprehensive review of Spirulina's culture, production methods, nutritional composition, health benefits, and applications as food for humans and feeds for domestic animals and fish. Spirulina, a cyanobacterium rich in protein, essential nutrients, and bioactive compounds, holds promise as a sustainable solution to address global food security challenges. The review synthesizes existing literature and research findings to provide insights into Spirulina's cultivation techniques, nutritional value, health-promoting properties, environmental considerations, and socio-economic implications. Additionally, the paper discusses future research directions and policy recommendations to maximize Spirulina's potential in promoting human and animal health, enhancing food and nutrition security, and fostering sustainable agriculture practices. Keywords: Spirulina, culture, production, nutrition, health benefits, human nutrition, animal feed, aquaculture, sustainability.

Volatile Profiling of Spirulina Food Supplements.

Spirulina, a cyanobacterium widely used as a food supplement due to its high nutrient value, contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is crucial to assess the presence of VOCs in commercial spirulina products, as they could influence sensory quality, various processes, and technological aspects. In this study, the volatile profiles of seventeen commercial spirulina food supplements were determined using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The identification of volatile compounds was achieved using a workflow that combined data processing with software tools and reference databases, as well as retention indices (RI) and elution order data. A total of 128 VOCs were identified as belonging to chemical groups of alkanes (47.2%), ketones (25.7%), aldehydes (10.9%), alcohols (8.4%), furans (3.7%), alkenes (1.8%), esters (1.1%), pyrazines (0.8%), and other compounds (0.4%). Major volatiles among all samples were hydrocarbons, especially heptadecane and heptadec-8-ene, followed by ketones (i.e., 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-buten-2-one, β-ionone, 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexan-1-one), aldehydes (i.e., hexanal), and the alcohol oct-1-en-3-ol. Several volatiles were found in spirulina dietary supplements for the first time, including 6,10-dimethylundeca-5,9-dien-2-one (geranylacetone), 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one, hept-2-enal, octanal, nonanal, oct-2-en-1-ol, heptan-1-ol, nonan-1-ol, tetradec-9-en-1-ol, 4,4-dimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-ol, 2,6-diethylpyrazine, and 1-(2,5-dimethylfuran-3-yl) ethanone. The methodology used for VOC analysis ensured high accuracy, reliability, and confidence in compound identification. Results reveal a wide variety of volatiles in commercial spirulina products, with numerous newly discovered compounds, prompting further research on sensory quality and production methods.

Nutrition and flavor analysis of Spirulina through co-fermentation with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Kluyveromyces marxianus and its effect on attenuating metabolic associated fatty liver disease

Spirulina is widely known as the “Super Nutritious Food of the Future” due to its exceptional nutritional properties. In this article, we investigated the effects of fermentation using a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus KDB-03 and Kluyveromyces marxianus GDMCC 2.119 on Spirulina. Fermentation significantly increased the total flavonoid and phenol levels in Spirulina, and enhanced the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power. Untargeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry analysis revealed alterations in the metabolites and flavor components of fermented Spirulina (FS). Furthermore, a mice experiment demonstrated that FS could effectively alleviate metabolism-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) by regulating liver metabolism, intestinal flora, and facilitating communication between the liver and gut. These findings suggest that fermentation could be a innovative approach to enhance the diversity of Spirulina products, and potentially be used as a strategy for the prevention and treatment of MAFLD.

From Laboratory to Production: Innovating the Small-scale Mass Production of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) with an Alternative Culture Medium and Refined Culture Conditions

From Laboratory to Production: Innovating the Small-scale Mass Production of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) with an Alternative Culture Medium and Refined Culture Conditions

Low-cost spirulina manufacturing technique by using supernatant of digested rotten ladies finger (Abelmoschus esculentus)

The goal of the study was to assess the culture method and spirulina (Spirulina platensis) production in the supernatant of three distinct digested rotting ladiesfingers, using Kosaric medium (KM) as the control. Two hundred gram rotten ladies finger was allowed to digestion in 4.0 L distilled water using aeration in 5.0 L glass jar.After 30 days, almost colorless supernatant was found, screened through 300 μm net and added with 9 g/l NaHCO3, 0.20 g/l urea and 0.50 ml/Lmicro nutrients. Three different concentrations such as 25, 50 and 75% of supernatant with three replications were prepared. Next, three digested rotten ladies finger medium (DRLFM) treatments were infected with 10% spirulina (at OD620 = 0.20) to develop. It was recorded that spirulina grew well at 12thday and then it was found to fall and continued up to 18thdays. The cell weight of spirulina attained a maximum of 16.45 ± 0.78 mg/L (dry weight basis) in KM followed by 13.785 ± 0.643, 10.354± 0.233 and 2.738 ± 0.177 mg/L in supernatant of 50, 75 and 25% DRLFM, respectively on the 12thday of culture. Similar trend wasalso observed in optical density of media, content of chlorophyll a(mg/L), total biomass (mg/L), particular growth rate of spirulina (based on cell weight and chlorophyll a). It could be concluded that mass culture of S. platensis may be done in supernatant of 50% digested rotten ladies finger media.

Development of Low-Cost Growing Media with Mungbean as A Source of Carbon for Spirulina

Spirulina is a multicellular, photosynthesis, filamentous blue-green algae which is found naturally in a wide range of fresh, marine, and brackish waters. It is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, lipids, carbohydrates, and pigments thus considered as the “superfood” of the century. The commercial production of Spirulina depends on many factors such as nutrient availability, temperature, and light. Zarrouk’s medium is known to be the standard media (SM) which contains all the macro and micro-nutrients required for the growth of Spirulina. The cost of nutrients is however found to be the second limiting factor next to labor cost affecting the commercial-scale production of Spirulina. The cost of carbon source is higher than that of N and P sources. Therefore, this study aimed at developing a low-cost medium for large-scale production of Spirulina. This intention was implemented by substituting carbon sources present in SM with cheaper and locally available carbon sources. Two separate experiments were conducted using a complete randomized design (CRD) with 3 replicates. The conventional carbon source in Zarrouk’s medium (NaHCO3) was substituted with low-cost carbon sources i.e., Mungbean flour (before and after germination separately). The carbon content in SM was replaced by 100 %, 75 %, 50 % and 25 % of Mungbean flour. Zarrouk’s medium was used as the control. The culture was maintained at 30 0C ± 2 0C under 4000 Lux, continuous illumination using a white, fluorescent tube for 16 days. Growth was measured using a spectrometer and optical density (OD) values were recorded at 560 nm with two days interval. Data were analyzed using SAS version 9.4. The best growth of Spirulina was recorded at the 50 % replacement of carbon in SM by Mungbean flour (before germination). Mungbean flour (after germination) could also replace 25 % of carbon in Zarrouk’s media. Taking the cost factor into consideration, 50 % replacement of carbon in Zarrouk’s medium by Mungbean flour (before germination) can be recommended for commercial scale cultivation. The comparative cost reduction of this replacement is estimated to be 50 %.

Long-term evaluation of productivity and harvesting efficiency of an industrial Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) production facility

Commercial production of Spirulina (Arthrospira spp.) is a well-established technology and is present throughout the world. However, technical gaps remain regarding the improvement of production, including industrial harvesting and processing. This study aimed to identify and quantify the most relevant gaps to indicate pathways toward scaling up and industrialization. For this endeavor, a commercial-scale raceway pond (300 m2) located in Central Europe was monitored for one year. The data revealed 65 % and 20 % loss of the potential biomass productivity and protein content, respectively, due to seasonal variations. In addition, there was a 30 % biomass loss during the harvesting and post-processing phases, due to variable efficiency of the concentration steps, especially vibrosieve filtration. Overall, optimization of process and post-harvesting technology (e.g., fine-tuned temperature control and minimal loss harvesting operation) may increase productivity by up to around 2-fold to contribute to the development of larger scale facilities in this field.

Microplastic contamination of packaged spirulina products.

Microplastic (MP) contamination in commercially soldspirulina products has not been previously investigated. In this study, 29 spirulina samples in various packaging types were purchased from different brands and origins to assess the presence of MPs. Microplastic analysis was conducted using microscopic and μ-Raman techniques. To ascertain whether the content is indeed spirulina and make a comparison with the MP level, C-Phycocyanin levels were also analyzed. A total of 251 MP-like particles were observed. Out of the 29 examined packaged spirulina brands, 26 showed potential MPs upon visual inspection, with 35 particles confirmed as MPs (73% of the analyzed particles). The mean abundance of MPs was estimated at 13.77 ± 2.45 MPs/100g dw. Powdered spirulina had a higher but not statistically significant MP abundance (17.34 ± 4.22 MPs/100g dw) compared to capsule/tablet forms (10.43 ± 2.45 MPs/100g dw). Fragments accounted for 38.3% while fibers constituted 61.7% of the identified MPs, with sizes ranging from 0.07 to 2.15mm for fragments and 0.19 to 5.691mm for fibers. The color distribution of MPs in spirulina samples was predominantly blue (52.8%), followed by black (25.4%), white (10.9%), and others (10.9%). Ten synthetic polymers and cellulose were identified through μ-Raman analysis, with polypropylene (31.6%) and polystyrene (8.3%) being the most prevalent. The correlation between C-Phycocyanin and MPs concentrations, was not found statistically significant. The abundance and composition of MPs were found to be influenced by packaging and processing stages. Identifying potential sources of MPs in spirulina products and evaluating their risks to human health is crucial.

Removing nutrients in recirculating aquaculture system wastewater from Nile tilapia culture via Spirulina cultivation: Optimizing sodium bicarbonate concentration and micronutrient supplementation

Recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) wastewater from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) culture raises environmental concerns, necessitating proper treatment prior to discharge. Phytoremediation using Spirulina offers a promising solution by enabling the simultaneous removal of nutrients from wastewater while also producing valuable biomass. This study aimed to optimize the sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) concentrations (3.36, 8.40, and 16.80 g/L) for achieving maximum nutrient treatment efficiency and Spirulina production in RAS wastewater from Nile tilapia culture, without external nitrogen and phosphorus supplementation. Additionally, this study examined the effect of different concentrations of nitrate (10 to 120 mg NO3-N/L) that are naturally present in RAS wastewater and Zarrouk's micronutrient supplementation on Spirulina production and nutrient treatment efficiency. The optimal NaHCO3 concentration for achieving maximum Spirulina production and effective nutrient treatment efficiency was found to be 8.40 g/L. At this concentration, high nitrate treatment efficiencies, reaching up to 80%, were observed specifically in RAS wastewater containing 10 to 50 mg NO3-N/L, while excellent phosphate treatment efficiencies, up to 99%, were found across all nitrate concentrations. Moreover, Spirulina biomass (X) reach a saturated growth of 0.398 g DW/L (6.09 mg Chl a/L) in RAS wastewater with a nitrate concentration of 50 to 120 mg NO3-N/L. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficients revealed that the factor determining Spirulina growth in RAS wastewater with nitrate 10–50 mg NO3-N/L was nitrate, whereas in RAS wastewater with nitrate 80–120 mg NO3-N/L, it was NaHCO3. By supplementing Zarrouk's micronutrient at 25% to RAS wastewater containing 120 mg NO3-N/L and 16.80 g/L of NaHCO3, Spirulina biomass could be enhanced to reach 1.525 g DW/L (6.09 mg Chl a/L), while achieving a nitrate treatment efficiency of 86%.

Upstream bioprocessing of Spirulina platensis microalgae using rainwater and recycle medium from post-cultivation for C-phycocyanin production

BackgroundThe cultivation of microalgae represents a water-intensive process, prompting the need to reduce its water footprint and explore alternative water sources. Therefore, this research work aims to investigate the growth of Spirulina by recycling the culture medium obtained from the post-cultivation process and substituting rainwater resources for the preparation of the culture medium. MethodsThe effect of pre-treatment methods, specifically microfiltration and UV-light was investigated. These methods were applied to treat the recycled medium and rainwater resources used for Spirulina cultivation. Biomass concentration, biomass productivity and phycocyanin accumulation of Spirulina were examined to assess the Spirulina growth under different pre-treatment conditions. Significant FindingsAfter three cultivation cycles in the recycled medium, biomass productivity decreased from 0.2246 to 0.0802 g/L/d which might be due to high salinity and biological pollutants that inhibit Spirulina growth. However, different pre-treatment methods using microfiltration and UV-light on the recycling medium were found to be effective in increasing biomass productivity from 0.1395 to 0.1861 g/L/d. Additionally, the use of rainwater for Spirulina cultivation was explored. Applying pre-treatment methods to the rainwater, biomass productivity was further improved from 0.3211 to 0.3837 g/L/d. These findings suggest that the use of pre-treatment methods and alternative rainwater resources can improve the biomass productivity of Spirulina and potentially reduce the environmental impact throughout the microalgae cultivation process.

Correlation between chemical characteristics and optical spectra of Spirulina commercially available on the Bulgarian market

The aggregate of various chemical substances useful for the functioning of the human body are known as nutrients. Spirulina has been present in human nutrition since ancient times, but in recent years the interest in it has been particularly increased due to the emergence of numerous alternative methods of nutrition. This study aimed to compare the functional and elemental composition as well as the optical properties of commercial Spirulina products available on the Bulgarian market. For this purpose, fluorescence spectroscopy in the ultraviolet and visible range, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy were used. The basic components of the analyzed Spirulina samples are proteins (1657 and 1537 cm-1) and carbohydrates (1069 and 1054 cm-1) and no meaningful differences between the IR spectra of the samples. Concentrations of important microelements Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn varies with the manufacturer. The highest levels for Mg (6.69 g kg-1) were measured in samples from USA, while the Spirulina fabricated in Bulgaria exhibits the highest contents of Zn (242 mg kg-1) and Cu (25.4 mg kg-1). All samples followed the tendency Mg>Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu. Making use of a fiber optic spectrometer the fluorescence spectra of the studied samples of Spirulina platensis for an excitation wavelength of 380 nm were measured. In these spectra we observe three fluorescence maxima: at 465 nm – nicotinamide dinucleotide phosphate, 640 nm chlorophyll a, and 736 nm due to similar to chlorophyll pigments. A strong positive correlation between the contents of Zn and Cu on the one side and the second fluorescence peak (λ=640 nm) for excitation wavelength at 380 nm. In contrast, a high negative correlation for Fe and the third fluorescence maximum (λ= 736nm) is observed for all excitation wavelengths. The correlation dependencies were obtained with the least squares method with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05.

Microcystins and Cyanobacterial Contaminants in the French Small-Scale Productions of Spirulina (Limnospira sp.).

Spirulina is consumed worldwide, in the form of food or dietary supplements, for its nutritional value and health potential. However, these products may contain cyanotoxins, including hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs), produced by cyanobacterial contaminants. The French spirulina market has the particularity of being supplied half-locally by approximately 180 small-scale spirulina production farms. Data about this particular production and possible contaminations with other cyanobacteria and MCs are scarce. Thus, we collected the results of MC analyses and total cyanobacteria counts, carried out between 2013 and 2021, from 95 French spirulina producers who agreed to share their data. These data consisted of MC concentrations determined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using 623 dry spirulina samples and 105 samples of spirulina cultures. In addition, potentially unsafe samples of dry spirulina were further investigated through mass spectrometry, as duplicate analysis. We confirmed that the situation of the French spirulina production stayed within the safe regulatory level in terms of MC levels. On the other hand, the inventory of cyanobacterial contaminants, based on 539 count results, included 14 taxa. We present their prevalence, interannual evolution and geographical distribution. We also suggested improvements in cultivation practices to limit their propagation.

Carbon accounting of negative emissions technologies integrated in the life cycle of spirulina supplements

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies are considered essential to accomplish the Paris Agreement targets. Given the important contribution of the food sector to climate change, this study aims to investigate the role of two carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies in decarbonizing the production of spirulina, an algae product commonly consumed for its nutritional characteristics. The proposed scenarios considered the replacement of synthetic food-grade CO2 in Arthrospira platensis cultivation (BAU scenario) with CO2 from beer fermentation (BRW) and CO2 from DACC (direct air carbon capture) (SDACC), representing two alternatives with great potential in the short and medium-long term, respectively. The methodology follows the Life Cycle Assessment guidelines, considering a cradle-to-gate scope and a functional unit equivalent to the annual production of spirulina in a Spanish artisanal plant. Results showed a better environmental performance of both CCU scenarios as compared to BAU, reaching a reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 52 % in BRW and of 46 % in SDACC. Although the brewery CCU offers a deeper carbon mitigation of spirulina production, the process cannot reach net zero GHG emissions due to residual burdens across the supply chain. In comparison, the DACC unit could potentially supply both the CO2 needed in spirulina production and work as a CDR to compensate residual emissions, which opens the door for further research on its technical and economic feasibility in the food sector.

Microbiota and Cyanotoxin Content of Retail Spirulina Supplements and Spirulina Supplemented Foods.

Cyanobacterial biomass such as spirulina (Arthrospira spp.) is widely available as a food supplement and can also be added to foods as a nutritionally beneficial ingredient. Spirulina is often produced in open ponds, which are vulnerable to contamination by various microorganisms, including some toxin-producing cyanobacteria. This study examined the microbial population of commercially available spirulina products including for the presence of cyanobacterial toxins. Five products (two supplements, three foods) were examined. The microbial populations were determined by culture methods, followed by identification of isolates using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), and by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the products themselves and of the total growth on the enumeration plates. Toxin analysis was carried out by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Several potentially pathogenic bacteria were detected in the products, including Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Microcystin toxins were detected in all the products at levels that could lead to consumers exceeding their recommended daily limits. Substantial differences were observed in the identifications obtained using amplicon sequencing and MALDI-TOF, particularly between closely related Bacillus spp. The study showed that there are microbiological safety issues associated with commercial spirulina products that should be addressed, and these are most likely associated with the normal means of production in open ponds.

Overview of artisanal production and consumption of spirulina in southern Algeria: example of Tamanrasset

Overview of artisanal production and consumption of spirulina in southern Algeria: example of Tamanrasset

Overview of artisanal production and consumption of spirulina in southern Algeria: example of Tamanrasset

Spirulina or Arthrospira platensis is a filamentous cyanobacterium known for its nutritional properties. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of the consumption and artisanal production of this microalgae in Tamanrasset in southern Algeria. The study demonstrates that there are three determining factors: temperature, light, and pH of the environment. The field survey provided information on the profile of consumers, mode, reason, and frequency of use. It also allowed for the identification of a profile of consumers who believe in the therapeutic virtues of spirulina, although it is only a dietary supplement, making chemical and pharmacological screening more than essential.