Our main crop, blue-green algae (Spirulina), is a strain of microalgae widely known for being a protein-loaded superfood. Aside from it's health benefits, Spirulina uses land and water much more efficiently than other crops allowing it to deliver more nutrition per acre than any other food.
Think of Spirulina as having the superpowers of plants with the replication rate of bacteria. Widely grown conventional crops, like corn or soybeans, take an entire season for just one harvest. Under the right conditions, algae can be harvested daily with the ability to double or triple the biomass everyday.
Spirulina was only introduced to U.S health food markets in 1979. Since then, research, innovations, and consumer adoption of plant proteins has fueled Spirulina’s massive expansion into several product applications across several industries including nutraceuticals, textiles, bio-packaging, animal feed, natural dyes, extracts, biofuel and others.
In the past 20 years alone, billions of dollars have been spent by governments, corporations and private sector investors to bring algae production facilities into operation. Today, there are over 600 algae farms globally, making up about 50 mid-large scale facilities and 550 small micro producers.
In 1991 the Indian government launched large-scale nutritional studies and issued official standards for food grade blue green algae. In 2018, they launched the National Spirulina Mission (NSM) to promote cultivation in the country; set up Spirulina parks, provide financial assistance to farmers and entrepreneurs, fund research and promote Spirulina as a superfood.
With a full spectrum of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals; Spirulina, is considered a protein-rich nutritional powerhouse. In addition to being an excellent source of protein, Spirulina is used in cosmetics and also for treating many conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood, diabetes and obesity.
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of phycocyanin, a compound found in Spirulina, can lessen the oxidative stress response of neurons, reduce inflammation, regulate immunity, and alleviate the damage caused by brain diseases to a certain extent. Other promising studies have shown phycocyanin extracts from Spirulina to be effective in treating cancer.
Phycocyanin is also used as an all natural blue colorant. It is the first natural blue food coloring to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With major food product manufacturers in the United States and Europe promoting a shift from artificial to natural food colorings, the demand for phycocyanin is expected to increase dramatically.
The FDA first approved Spirulina Extract as a food additive in 2013 for applications in gum and candy. In 2014, the list expanded to frosting, ice cream/frozen desserts, dessert coatings & toppings, beverage mixes & powders, yogurts, custards, puddings, cottage cheese, gelatin, breadcrumb, and ready-to-eat cereals (excluding extruded cereals.) In 2015, coatings in dietary supplements & pharmaceuticals were also approved as the applications continue to grow.
Algal biofuels are mostly carbon neutral as they naturally recycle CO2 emissions. According to Algenol, a company focused on the production of microalgae, using photobioreactors for microalgae produces a lower carbon footprint than that of corn biodiesel.
By 2050 we humans are expected to have another two billion mouths to feed. Our current farming methods are toxic to the environment and can not sustain the upcoming demand. Cultivating algae is a proven and energy-efficient system of producing food and energy that nourishes the community while operating in harmony with the environment.
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