Algae and spirulina

In 1974, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially recognized the benefits of spirulina, calling it "one of the best sources of protein." Similarly, at the World Food Conference, the UN declared spirulina to be "the best food of the future." Spirulina has a lot going for it, as it is abundant, sustainable, and inexpensive, and represents an extraordinary alternative to animal proteins.

With regard to dietary supplements, the "Plants Decree" of June 24, 2014, establishing the list of plants, other than mushrooms, authorized in dietary supplements and the conditions for their use, cites various species of algae. It includes eight additional species of algae, while conversely, nine species of algae on this list have not been included in the Decree. There are also internal regulations for spirulina producers in France, which were adopted by the board of directors on March 15, 2019. "Not Novel Food" algae are listed in a catalog updated in February 2024. Four scientific families are concerned, namely those benefiting from food status: brown algae (9), green algae (2), red algae (11), and microalgae (3), more specifically of the genus Arthrospira (Spirulina sp., Odontella aurita, and Chlorella sp). Some algae have benefited from a "Novel Food" procedure, as have oily extracts from microalgae, sometimes with temporary authorizations, as well as extracts from macroalgae.

Species of the genus Arthrospira have been isolated from alkaline brackish water and salt water in tropical and subtropical regions. They proliferate naturally in lakes with high pH and high concentrations of carbonate and bicarbonate. They stand out on the market for their supposed antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

This process sheet focuses first on macroalgae that inhabit coastal and saline areas, then on microalgae that grow in open-system ponds or in above-ground photobioreactors that host spirulina. The dichotomy remains the same, essentially boiling down to a contrast between small artisanal spirulina producers and mega industrial sites with miles of piping and the intrusion of artificial intelligence... .