Nutritive value of the spirulina algae (Spirulina maxima)
Tejada de Hernandez I, Shimada AS.
Nine experiments were conducted, five of them in vivo to determine the limiting amino acids and digestibility of spiruline algae for the rat, and four in vitro to determine the digestibility of the product in pepsin and ruminal liquid. None of the amino acids studied (lysine, methionine, histidine) added alone or in combination to 10% protein (either crude or true) diets provided exclusively by spiruline, seems to be limiting although the results could be masked by the low palatability and acceptability of the product by the rats. The apparent digestibility of the algae was 67.4%. For the in vitro tests, the algae were subjected to several physical or chemical treatments, and the digestibility of the resulting product determined by four different techniques. In no case did the tested treatments have any effect on its digestibility.
PUB: Arch Latinoam Nutr. 1978 Jun;28(2):196-207.
Nutritional studies on Spirulina maxima.
Maranesi M, Barzanti V, Carenini G, Gentili P.
This study was designed to explore the nutritional value of proteins derived from algal biomasses of genus Spirulina maxima, with a view to the possible use of such proteins in human alimentation. Recently the use of such biomasses has commanded attention both as an alternative source of alimentary protein and as a coadjuvant in diet treatment requiring a reduced caloric intake - this because these substances seem to prolong gastric transit time and so produce a feeling of satiety. Our research was conducted in young growing rats; it provided confirmation of the validity of Spirulina as a protein source in terms of good weight gains by the test animals and freedom from adverse effects; the same research, on the other hand, failed to confirm the effectiveness of these protein materials in reducing caloric intake: throughout the test period, indeed, feed consumption (hence caloric intake) was practically the same in the control lot and in animals receiving Spirulina protein.
PUB: Acta Vitaminol Enzymol. 1984;6(4):295-304.
Effects of graded dietary levels of Spirulina maxima on vitamins A and E in male rats.
Mitchell GV, Grundel E, Jenkins M, Blakely SR.
Division of Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC., USA
The effects of ingesting the alga Spirulina maxima on the storage and utilization of vitamins A and E were investigated by feeding diets containing 0, 2.7, 10.7, 18.7 and 26.7% S. maxima to male rats for 6 wk. All diets contained 18% protein, which was contributed by S. maxima or by casein or by a mixture of them. Growth results indicated that rats did not utilize the diets containing S. maxima as well as the casein control diet (0% S. maxima) when levels were 10.7% or more of the diet. The ingestion of S. maxima caused a significant increase in dry matter and chloroform-extractable crude fat in the feces. A low level of 2.7% S. maxima caused a significant reduction in plasma, liver and heart alpha-tocopherol levels. The concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in these tissues showed a marked decline with 10.7% S. maxima in the diet, followed by a lesser decline at higher levels. Liver retinoid levels of rats increased when S. maxima was added to the diet, suggesting conversion of the naturally occurring carotenoids in S. maxima to vitamin A. However, the plasma levels of retinol decreased when S. maxima was fed at 10.7% or more. These data demonstrate that S. maxima can significantly alter the storage and utilization of vitamins A and E.
PUB: J Nutr. 1990 Oct;120(10):1235-40.
Spirulina as a source of vitamin A.
Annapurna VV, Deosthale YG, Bamji MS.
National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad.
Experiments were carried out to assess spirulina fusiformis-a blue green algae as a source of vitamin A in rats. In one experiment, the control rats were fed synthetic vitamin A and the experimental rats spirulina as the sole source of vitamin A. The liver vitamin A concentration of spirulina-fed rats of both sexes was found to be significantly higher than that of the control rats. In another experiment the absorption of carotenes from the solvent extract of spirulina and their availability (vitamin A value) as judged by the levels of vitamin A and carotene in plasma and liver were compared with those of synthetic beta-carotene or vitamin A in male rats. The absorption of beta-carotene from spirulina extract tended to be lower than that of crystalline beta-carotene at doses of 550 and 1100 micrograms of beta-carotene. The difference became insignificant at lower beta-carotene dose of 275 micrograms. Spirulina carotene-fed rats did not show a strict dose related increase in the liver or serum vitamin A concentration. The liver vitamin A storage and plasma levels of vitamin A of spirulina carotene-fed rats was much higher than expected. The results of the two studies reported suggest that the algae spirulina can be a valuable source of vitamin A.
PUB: Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 1991 Apr;41(2):125-34.
Utilization of beta-carotene from Spirulina platensis by rats.
Kapoor R, Mehta U.
Department of Foods & Nutrition, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India.
The availability of beta-carotene from Spirulina as compared to standard all trans beta-carotene was studied by the liver and kidney vitamin A storage method. After 21 days of vitamin A depletion, the rats were repleted with beta-carotene from Spirulina and a standard source at two dietary levels (60 and 120 micrograms/day) for a 10 day period. At lower levels, the liver storage levels of vitamin A and the percent of beta-carotene absorption were comparable to those of the standard. At higher levels both these parameters of the Spirulina fed group were significantly (P < 0.01) inferior to the standard source fed group. However, the Spirulina fed group showed better (P < 0.05) growth than the standard fed group did at both low and high levels of feeding.
PUB: Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 1993 Jan;43(1):1-7.
