Spirulina Extract

Spirulina Extract Properties, Uses and Production Process

 Overview

 Spirulina Extract Properties, Uses and Production ProcessOverviewSpirulina extract is a product extracted from spirulina. In addition to containing a large amount of protein, it also contains a large number of bioactive ingredients, such as spirulina polysaccharides (PSP), β-carotene, phycobiliprotein, γ-linolenic acid, endogenous enzymes, etc. Therefore, it has physiological effects such as improving body immunity, anti-aging, lowering blood lipids, lowering blood pressure, promoting protein synthesis, and anti-cancer. It is widely used in functional foods, traditional Chinese medicine, etc. Spirulina is a multicellular filamentous microalgae, a genus of Cyanobacteria, Segmental Algae, and Oscillatoria Chemicalbookaceae. Spirulina has attracted the attention and high praise of many scientists and international organizations around the world for its comprehensive and balanced nutrition and extremely high disease prevention and health value. Nutritionists and pharmacists call it "the nutrition champion on earth" and "a new star of medicine". The World Health Organization has recognized Spirulina as "the best health product for mankind in the 21st century" and "the super nutritious food of the future"; UNESCO recommends Spirulina as "the most ideal and perfect food for tomorrow"; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also solemnly recommends to the world that "Spirulina is the best food resource and future food for mankind in the future."

Resource distribution

Spirulina is a multicellular filamentous blue algae that grew 3 billion years ago and has some characteristics of many ancient primitive algae. There are more than 30 known species of Spirulina, which are widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate oceans, lakes, hot springs, especially saline lakes. Five species have been found in my country, and Spirulina has also been found growing in the near-Arctic region in recent years. This shows that Spirulina is almost everywhere and can adapt to extreme environments.

Chemical composition

1. Protein

Spirulina contains 58.5% to 83.4% protein, and the amino acid composition ratio is appropriate. The content of 8 essential amino acids is close to or exceeds the composition ratio standard recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The protein digestibility of spirulina is 75.0%, and the bioavailability is 68.0%. Therefore, it is considered to be the food with the highest protein content and the best quality known to humans. The essential amino acids contained in it are extremely similar to the RDA values ​​(human requirements) recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, namely isoleucine 4.1% to 4.5%, leucine 5.8% to 6.8%, lysine 4.4% to 4.6%, phenylalanine 2.9% to 4.4%, methionine 1.8% to 2.4%, threonine 2.7% to 4.1%, tryptophan 1.1% to 1.6%, and valine 4.8% to 6.5%.

2. Fat

Spirulina is a low-fat food with a fat content of 6% to 9%. Its fatty acids are mainly unsaturated fatty acids, with a content of 4.9% to 5.7%. In particular, the content of essential fatty acids is high, and the content of γ-2 linolenic acid, which has multiple health functions, is as high as 8.75 to 11.97 g/kg. In addition, the fat does not contain cholesterol.

3. Vitamins

Since Spirulina cells divide actively, grow rapidly, and have vigorous metabolism, the content of various vitamins (B1, B2, B12, E) directly related to growth and development is also very rich, especially β-carotene, vitamin E and B12. The vitamin content per 100g is as high as 150 to 170 mg, 5 to 20 mg, and 0.05 to 0.2 mg respectively. β-carotene is the highest among all foods, 10 times higher than that of carrots, and the content of vitamin B12 is 3.5 times that of animal liver. It is also the highest among all organisms.

4. Minerals

Spirulina has a high mineral content and is rich in trace elements (such as calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, etc.). Compared with ordinary terrestrial foods, it is particularly rich in selenium. These trace elements and minerals are combined with organic matter and are easily absorbed and utilized by the human body. They can effectively regulate the body's balance and enzyme activity.

5. Bioactive substances

(1) Spirulina polysaccharide A water-soluble polysaccharide, spirulina polysaccharide, can be isolated from spirulina. It has strong biological activity and is the main form of carbohydrates in spirulina. The content per 100g is 2 to 4g, composed of D-mannose, D-glucose, D-galactose and glucuronic acid. 1g of spirulina contains 170mg of phycocyanin, which is more than 10 times the content of ordinary vegetables.

(2) Active protein Studies have shown that phycocyanin extracted from spirulina is not only a good natural pigment, but also can improve the immunity of organisms and has a significant effect on inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

(3) Unsaturated fatty acids The fatty acids in spirulina are mainly unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid and γ-2 linolenic acid. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid for the human body. It can form γ-2 linolenic acid through the EFA pathway and eventually generate prostaglandins, which participate in regulating various basic physiological processes of the human body, including regulating blood pressure and cholesterol synthesis, and can prevent diabetes, cancer, obesity and skin aging.

(4) β2 carotene The content of β2 carotene in spirulina is 10 times that of carrots. β2 carotene is a good natural food pigment, and it also has high nutritional value and medicinal value. β2 carotene is the precursor of VA, and it also has anti-aging and cancer prevention effects.

Pharmacological activity

1. Improve the body's immune function

Spirulina extract polysaccharides can not only improve the body's nonspecific cellular immune function, but also promote the body's specific humoral immune function. Its mechanism of action is related to the fact that Spirulina polysaccharides enhance the proliferation of bone marrow cells, promote the growth of immune organs such as the thymus and spleen, and promote the biosynthesis of serum proteins; it is also related to its ability to eliminate the inhibitory effect of immunosuppressants (cyclophosphamide) on the body's immune system.

2. Anti-cancer and anti-cancer effects

Spirulina extract polysaccharides have an inhibitory effect on cancer cells in vitro. The polysaccharide has a high inhibition rate on the DNA synthesis of sarcoma S180 and ascites liver cancer cells at high doses, while the inhibition of DNA synthesis of leukemia L7712 cells is low. At the same time, the effect of Spirulina polysaccharides (200 mg/kg) on ​​mice with ascites liver cancer cells was observed, and the results showed that the polysaccharide had a significant inhibitory effect on transplanted cancer cells in vivo.

3. Anti-radiation effect

An important biological feature of Spirulina is its strong resistance to ultraviolet rays and various types of ionizing radiation. Experiments have also proven that Spirulina has a strong resistance to gamma-rays. Using its extract Spirulina polysaccharide for pre- and post-radiation treatment can significantly reduce the genetic damage caused by radiation.

4. Improve the harmful effects of excessive metals on the human body

Spirulina can reduce the toxicity of mercury and drugs to the kidneys. The experiment on the effects of spirulina on the kidney poisoning of mercury and drugs on mice showed that when spirulina was added to the diet of mice, blood urine nitrogen and serum creatine were used as test indicators, and it was found that the levels of these two indicators dropped significantly.

5.Healing and antibacterial effects on skin and trauma

A French study pointed out that drugs with spirulina as the main ingredient can accelerate the healing of trauma; a Japanese study showed that cosmetics containing spirulina and its hydrolytic enzymes can promote skin metabolism and reduce scars. Spirulina extracts can also inhibit the growth of bacteria and have medicinal value.

6. Anti-fatigue and anti-aging effects

The mixture of nicotinic acid, vitamin B6 and calcium gluconate in spirulina extract can assist athletes in exercise, enhance hormone activity and nervous system function, maintain the storage of muscle glycogen in the body, and play an anti-fatigue role.

7. Promote the growth of lactobacillus in the body

Mice fed 5% spirulina for 100 days, and the weight of the cecum increased by 13%, lactobacillus increased by 27%, and vitamin B1 in the cecum increased by 43%. This experiment pointed out that eating spirulina can increase the lactobacillus in the human body and allow the human body to absorb more vitamin B1 and other vitamins from the entire diet.

Application

1. Food and health products

Spirulina is praised by FAO as the most ideal food for mankind in the future. As a rich and balanced protein supplement, spirulina is mostly put on the market in the form of powder, tablets or pills. Spirulina foods that have been developed include spirulina powder, tablets, capsules, instant granules, beverages, oral liquids, beer, noodles, health salt, nutritious rice noodles, ice cream, candy, chocolate and biscuits. Spirulina is also an ingredient in an orange-flavored cracker and other types of candy, which can increase the protein content by 12% and 18%. It can also be used as an ingredient for protein powder and macaroni (add 10% spirulina). The production of other fermented foods such as cheese, yogurt and tofu also provides many possibilities for the application of spirulina. The non-enzymatic biochemical process is used to separate filamentous spirulina into single-cell spirulina, which is more convenient for preparing functional nutrient solution and easy to digest. In addition, a decolorized spirulina powder (yellow-white) can be obtained by extraction. It is odorless and tasteless. It is a unique ingredient for many foods such as soups, sauces, dough, fast food and instant drinks and other foods, so it has a wider range of uses.

2. Pharmaceutical industry

Spirulina is rich in active substances, which have special medical and health effects on many diseases. It has significant anti-radiation and anti-mutation functions. It can be used to prevent and treat cancer, anti-aging, enhance the body's immunity and other functions. The β-carotene it is rich in is called the "anti-cancer god". It is a precursor of Va, has nutritional and health functions, can protect eyesight, and has a certain effect on glaucoma and cataracts. Table 1 shows the mechanism of Spirulina's preventive action on certain diseases.

3. Animal Husbandry

Spirulina can significantly increase the daily weight gain of broilers, the egg production rate and survival rate of laying hens, reduce feed consumption, and improve carcass traits and egg yolk color. Studies have found that adding 2% spirulina to feed can increase the survival rate of chicks by 16.8% and the weight gain by 33.4%; adding spirulina to laying hen feed can increase the egg production rate by about 10% and reduce the total feed-egg ratio by about 3%; adding 1% algae powder to laying hen diets can greatly deepen the color of egg yolks and greatly change the commercial value of eggs; adding spirulina to breeder feed can increase egg production and hatching rate. Spirulina is also a high-quality bait with high nutritional value. It can improve the survival rate of aquatic animals, especially marine treasures, reduce the cost of seedling cultivation, improve the immunity and vitality of young animals, improve meat quality, increase the luster of fish bodies, and make the color of ornamental fish beautiful and bright. It has good nutritional effects on abalone, prawns, flat shells, pearl shells, etc.

4. Cosmetics industry

Spirulina can improve the immunity of skin cells, protect the self-regulation function of the skin, prevent water loss, resist ultraviolet damage, eliminate free radicals on the skin surface, increase the synthesis of skin collagen, soften the stratum corneum, promote blood circulation and skin regeneration, and can play the role of anti-wrinkle, sun protection, anti-radiation, whitening, freckle removal, anti-aging, and promote hair growth.

5. Environmental protection

Spirulina has good nutritional value and medicinal value, but with the gradual reduction of water bodies suitable for the growth of spirulina, how to reduce site consumption and use industrial wastewater to cultivate spirulina has become a hot research direction in recent years. Because it needs to absorb a lot of nutrients during its growth and reproduction, it has the characteristics of fast growth and reproduction, strong adaptability, and higher fermentability. Therefore, spirulina is a promising microalgae for wastewater treatment. It not only has buoyancy, but also the filamentous spirulina is easier to separate from the culture medium and easy to harvest. It can also secrete extracellular bioflocculants during its growth, thereby strengthening the wastewater treatment process. The harvested algae powder is a high-quality protein, which also brings benefits to wastewater treatment projects and opens up a new way to utilize wastewater protein sources. Compared with traditional tertiary treatment, the process of using spirulina to treat wastewater has the advantages of low cost, low energy consumption and high efficiency. It is an environmental protection engineering technology with great development potential.

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