6. Conclusion

Spirulina appears to have considerable development potential. The number of publications has been rising steadily since the 2000s, revealing a growing interest in this micro-algae. In a society in search of more natural ways to feed and care for oneself, spirulina is emerging as a health food of the future. Spirulina growers have clearly understood the economic potential of this micro-algae, with the number of growers in France increasing 10-fold between 2010 and 2020. Indeed, the production and use of spirulina offer numerous advantages:

• it provides an easily digestible protein product with a high content of β-carotene, vitamin B12, iron and γ-linolenic acid, a rare essential fatty acid;

• its production has a low ecological and environmental footprint, with a high photosynthetic yield and a very low land occupation...