Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India.
International Center of Excellence in Seafood Science and Innovation (ICE-SSI), Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkla, Thailand.
J Am Nutr Assoc. 2023 Aug;42(6):559-572. doi: 10.1080/27697061.2022.2103852. Epub 2022 Aug 2.
Spirulina is a blue-green algae which is cultivated not only for its maximum protein content but also due to the presence of other essential nutrients such as carbohydrates and vitamins (A, C and E). It is also a storehouse of minerals including iron, calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. Simultaneously, γ- linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid), as well as pigments such as chlorophyll A and phycobiliproteins (C-phycocyanin, allophycocyanin and β-carotene), is also a major component of its rich nutritional profile. Spirulina is known to have various promising effects on the prevention of cancer, oxidative stress, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and anemia. Moreover, it also plays a positive role in treating muscular cramps. The safety recommended dosage of Spirulina is approximately 3-10 g/d for adults and it's biological value (BV) is 75 with a net protein utilization (NPU) of 62. Spirulina does not have pericardium due to which it does not hinder the absorption of iron by chelation with phytates or oxalates. On the contrasting note, it may have some adverse effects due to the toxins (microcystins, β-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)) produced by Spirulina which might contribute to acute poisoning, cancer, liver damage as well as gastrointestinal disturbances. Its long-term consumption may also lead to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The current review focuses on the various aspects of spirulina including its cultivation, nutritional composition, extraction techniques, health benefits, adverse effects, industrial scope and market value which could be beneficial for its utilization in the development of value-added products and supplementary foods due to its high content of protein and bioavailability of nutrients.
螺旋藻是一种蓝绿藻，不仅因其蛋白质含量高而被种植，还因为其含有其他必需营养物质，如碳水化合物和维生素（A、C 和 E）。它也是矿物质的宝库，包括铁、钙、铬、铜、镁、锰、磷、钾、钠和锌。同时，γ-亚麻酸（一种必需脂肪酸）以及叶绿素 A 和藻胆蛋白（C-藻蓝蛋白、藻蓝蛋白和 β-胡萝卜素）等色素也是其丰富营养成分的主要组成部分。螺旋藻具有预防癌症、氧化应激、肥胖、糖尿病、心血管疾病和贫血等多种有前途的作用。此外，它还对治疗肌肉痉挛有积极作用。螺旋藻的推荐安全剂量约为成人 3-10g/d，其生物学价值（BV）为 75，净蛋白利用率（NPU）为 62。由于螺旋藻不含心包，因此不会通过与植酸盐或草酸盐螯合来阻碍铁的吸收。相比之下，由于螺旋藻产生的毒素（微囊藻毒素、β-甲基氨基-L-丙氨酸（BMAA））可能导致急性中毒、癌症、肝损伤和胃肠道紊乱，它可能会产生一些不良反应。其长期食用也可能导致阿尔茨海默病和帕金森病的发病机制。本综述重点介绍了螺旋藻的各个方面，包括其种植、营养成分、提取技术、健康益处、不良反应、工业范围和市场价值，由于其蛋白质含量高且营养物质的生物利用率高，这可能有助于其在开发增值产品和补充食品中的利用。
