Spirulina,Uses, Production, Companies - Oilgae. Spirulina. Spirulina is a human and animal food or nutritional supplement made primarily from two species of cyanobacteria: Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima. Spirulina – cyanobacteria has been used as food for centuries by different populations and only rediscovered in recent years. It grows naturally in the alkaline waters of lakes in warm regions. It exists in the form of tiny green filaments coiled in spirals of varying tightness and number, depending on the strain. A number of features from the nutritional standpoint have been demonstrated: a balanced protein composition, and the presence of rare essential lipids, numerous minerals and even vitamin B1. The cell walls of spirulina are similar to that of Gram- positive bacteria, since they consist of glucosamines and muramic acid associated with peptides. A number of animal and test tube studies suggest that spirulina increases production of antibodies, infection-fighting proteins. Khan Z, Bhadouria P, Bisen PS. Nutritional and therapeutic potential of Spirulina. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 1 A Potential Role for Spirulina in the Prevention and Management of Preeclampsia Mark F. McCarty, NutriGuard Research, Inc., 1051 Hermes Ave., Encinitas, CA 92024 Abstract Preeclampsia (PE) arises when an improperly formed, chronically hypoxic placenta. Fox, Editions Edisud, France (1996), or 'Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira) : Physiology, Cell-biology and Biotechnology', edited by A. Although not digestible, these walls are fragile and make the cell content readily accessible to digestive enzymes. This is a major advantage in comparison to organisms with cellulosic cell walls like yeast and chlorella. Algae Strains that produce Spirulina Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima. Growth Conditions of Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima. Arthrospira sp. Temperature. Growth only takes place in light (photosynthesis), but illumination 2. During dark periods, chemical reactions take place within spirulina, like synthesis of proteins and respiration. Respiration decreases the mass of spirulina biomass ; its rate is much greater at high temperature so cool nights are better on that account, but in the morning beware that spirulina cannot stand a strong light when cold (below 1. Spirulina Production Potential Pdf Download
![]() ![]() 1 1 INTRODUCTION The purpose of EPOBIO, a Science to Support Policy Consortium funded by the European Commission, is to realise the economic potential of sustainable resources – non-food bioproducts from agricultural and forestry feedstocks. Bioethanol Production by Carbohydrate-Enriched Biomass of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis Giorgos Markou 1,*. Abstract: In the present study the potential of bioethanol production using carbohydrate-enriched biomass of the cyanobacterium was studied. The protein content varies by 1. Spirulina is not considered to be a reliable source of Vitamin B1. The standard B1. 2 assay, using Lactobacillus leichmannii, shows spirulina to be a minimal source of bioavailable vitamin B1. In strains of spirulina used, the nucleic acid levels vary from 4. Spirulina's lipid content is about 7% by weight, and is rich in gamma- linolenic acid (GLA), and also provides alpha- linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), stearidonic acid (SDA),eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA). Spirulina contains vitamins B1, B2 , B3 , B6 , B9 , vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin E. It is also a source of potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium and zinc. Spirulina contains many pigments which may be beneficial and bioavailable, including beta- carotene, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll- a, xanthophylls, echinenone, myxoxanthophyll, canthaxanthin, diatocanthin, 3’- hydroxyechinenone, beta- cryptoxanthin and oscillaxanthin, plus the phycobiliproteins c- phycocyanin and allophycocyanin. Production Process. Most cultivated Spirulina is produced in open- channel raceway ponds, with paddle- wheels used to agitate the water. The largest commercial producers of spirulina are located in the United States, Thailand, India, Taiwan, China, Pakistan, Burma (a. Myanmar) and Chile. Spirulina is a filamentous algae (meaning that it grows in strands), a shape that allows for harvesting by stainless steel screens. This method uses far less energy that centrifugation (which is used for chlorella, another microalgae) and is gentle on the cells. While the spirulina is being sieved out on screens it is given several fresh water washes, ensuring a clean product with a fresh taste. Ponds are harvested to half of their depth, with what remains being the seed for the next generation. It is like mowing the lawn – part left behind grows again. When the spirulina is in good condition, separating it from the water (. The best time for harvesting is early morning for various reasons : - the cool temperature makes the work easier,- more sunshine hours will be available to dry the product,- the % proteins in the spirulina is highest in the morning. There are basically two steps in harvesting : - filtration to obtain a . Filtration is simply accomplished by passing the culture through a fine weave cloth, using gravity as the driving force.- removal of the residual culture medium to obtain the . Applications and Health Benefits of Spirulina. The nutritional profile of Spirulina is not complete and will be more effective when combined with a healthy and balanced diet as part of a preventive strategy for self- care. Spirulina has the same nutrients found in about 1,0. Some of the key health benefits of using Spirulina are: Boosts the immune system. Improve digestion. Reduce fatigue. Build endurance. Detoxifier – cleanses the body. Boosts energy levels. Controls appetite. Keeps a tab on cardiovascular function. Helps proper liver and kidney functioning. Reduces inflammation and allergies. Uses: AIDS/HIV, arthritis, athletic nutrition, enhancing natural cleansing and detoxification, supporting cardiovascular function and healthy cholesterol, strengthening the immune system, improving gastrointestinal and digestive health, reducing cancer risks with antioxidant protection, general and long term health. Market During 1. 97. It was in 1. 98. 1 that the marketing of spirulina, and especially its mediatization really started. The boom in consumption was due to a front- page article in a US daily newspaper vaunting the properties of spirulina as a hunger reducer for people on a diet. Other media took up the subject and very quickly, demand exploded in the USA. Hundreds of companies entered the market to offer their spirulina, when production in 1. Japan. The result was that the products sold in the USA contained very little spirulina. At present, companies that produce high- quality spirulina try to keep their market share by stressing the quality aspect, and at the same time, they are developing products with higher added value, extracting from spirulina components that they sell to other industries: food colouring, fluorescent markers, enzymes, etc. Genetically modified spirulina is also being developed, like spirulina with high iron, beta- carotene, zinc, etc. Some health tonics contain spirulina as part of their ingredients. Prominent Players in the Spirulina Market Parrys Nutraceuticals, India. Cyanotech, Hawaii, USAHydrolina Biotech, India. Nutrex Hawaii, USAAustralian Spirulina, Australia. Challenges in Spirulina Production. Individual spirulina filaments are destroyed by prolonged strong illumination (. Research Efforts in Spirulina. While there have been only a handful of spirulina studies conducted on humans, its test tube and animal study results are certainly interesting and might one day merit a look from pharmaceutical companies. In vitro research. Spirulina has been studied in vitro against HIV, as an iron- chelating agent, and as a radioprotective agent. Animal studies have evaluated spirulina in the prevention of chemotherapy- induced heart damage, stroke recovery, age- related declines in memory, diabetes mellitus, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and in rodent models of hay fever. Mouse studies suggest that spirulina has little effect on the metabolism, and therefore is unlikely to be effective as a weight- loss agent. Human research. In humans, small studies have been undertaken evaluating spirulina in undernourished children, as a treatment for the cosmetic aspects of arsenic poisoning, in hay fever and allergic rhinitis, in arthritis, in hyperlipidemia and jypertension, and as a means of improving exercise tolerance. At present, these studies are considered preliminary. National Institutes of Health, at present there is insufficient scientific evidence to recommend spirulina supplementation for any human condition, and more research is needed to clarify its benefits, if any. Many medical and educational institutions are researching on various aspects of spirulina. A few of them are: University of Mississippi: The National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi is carrying out considerable amount of research on various applications and benefits of Spirulina. David Pasco, assistant director of the research center, focuses on developing biological screens that use molecular tools to identify compounds within plants that contribute to their health benefits, especially those that exhibit immune enhancing and anti- cancer properties. His research also deals with the isolation and identification of innate immune enhancing components within natural products that have been used traditionally to enhance immune function. Some of this research has led to the development of two patented and commercialized botanical extracts, one for general enhancement of immune function (Spirulina extract- Immulina. Numerous clinical trials have been conducted using these products and several more are underway. Some of their publications can be found at: Link 1 http: //www. Link 2 http: //www. Link 3 http: //www. Oregon State University reports on a 2. The University of South Florida’s Paula Bickford, Ph. D. Bickford and her colleagues at James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital and the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that, following induced strokes, rats which had been given diets supplemented with spirulina showed brains lesions 7. The rats fed spirulina also recovered mobility to a greater extent. Bickford’s team in which the brains of aged rats fed spirulina supplements maintained their neuron function much better, and showed far less free radical damage than those of rats fed cucumbers. Bickford’s research is significant because it indicates that spirulina may be helpful in warding off the free radical damage related to aging diseases like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s Disease. The article also refers to spirulina’s high mineral content, in particular the amount of iron it contains, its abilities to reduce gastro enteric distress by promoting the growth of intestinal bacteria, and to help prevent gastro enteric infection; and its cholesterol- reducing effects.
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