Microalgae health food

Chlorella is a freshwater, unicellular green microalga that is widely used as a food supplement in Japan and around the world. Mass commercial cultivation of Chlorella for use as a health food supplement has taken place for over 35 years, with a more recent application in mariculture feed (Iwamoto, 2004). Many strains of Chlorella can be grown heterotrophically, allowing for production of a high-quality powder without contamination. Chlorella supplements are taken in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid, or as food additives. Claims for health benefits of Chlorella include improved immune function and improved control of hypertension, fibromyalgia, and ulcerative colitis (Halperin et al, 2003). 

For over 40 years, microalgae has been commercially cultivated however, high-value strains such as Spiridina, used for health food and other supplements, are among the few to see commercial viability. Interest in cultivating microalgae for... 

Microalgae can also produce high-value products like beta-carotene and animal feed or can be consumed directly as a health food product (Spolaore et al., 2006). Some microalgal species, likeArthrospira and Chlorella, are sold as nutritional supplements (Spolaore et al., 2006). Docosahexaenoic add (DHA), an omega-3 fatty add, can be extracted from some species for use in infant formula. When produced for animal feed, they can be used to... 

With the increasing interest in the food industry for natural sources of antioxidants for their beneficial effects on health, new potential sources have been screened among edible aromatic plants and microalgae. The cc-tocopherol content (a potent antioxidant) in parsley was reported to be 3.45mg/100g of fresh leaves obtained through supercritical fluid extraction (Diego et al., 2004). 

In the search of feasible new sources of natural antioxidants that can be used in the food industry, algae and microalgae have been suggested as possible raw materials. Both organisms are widely known and consumed in certain countries, and numerous health benefits have been associated to their u se. Different compounds with antibacterial, antiviral and antifiingical activity can be found in this type of organisms (30-32), along with compounds with antioxidant activity that, as has been already mentioned, is nowadays one of the most important fields of activity in food research. 

Recent studies have provided evidence that marine-derived bioactive peptides including the compound derived from microalgae play a vital role in hmnan health and nutrition. In recent study, we have proved that two peptides isolated from N. incerta showed hepatoprotective activity. These evidences surest that due to valuable biological functions with health beneficial effects, marine microalgae-derived bioactive peptides have potential as active ingredients for preparation of various functional foods or nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. 

Yuan J, Peng J,Yin K.Wang J. Potential health-promoting effects of astaxanthin a high-value carotenoid mostly from microalgae. Mollar Nutr Food Res 2011 55 150-65. 

Utilization of microalgae for human health and as a foodstuff by indigenous populations has a long history. Indeed, edible blue-green algae, including Nostoc, Arthrospira (Spirulim) and Aphanizomenon species, have been used for food for thousands of years (Jensen et al., 2(X)1). 

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