Spirulina has caught the fancy of people! It has more beta Carotene than Carrots, more Chlorophyll than Wheatgrass, 50 times more Iron than Spinach, twice as much Protein as that of meat, not to mention large amounts of Calcium, Niacin, Potassium, B-vitamins and all essential Amino Acids. And what’s more interesting, it is easier to absorb all these nutrients from Spirulina than any other protein-rich food known to mankind, be it Meat, Soybeans, Sweet Peas and Chickpeas…
Welcome to the new world of micro-algae!
Is it a plant? Often mistaken for being a water plant, but technically speaking they aren’t. Instead, one could look at them as the evolutionary bridge between bacteria and green plants. As they are not plants, these organisms can virtually grow in all kinds of habitat and at a much faster rate – at times doubling their size within a day. Now at a time when the world appears to be struggling to come to terms with poverty and hunger, owing to its unique qualities and high nutrient values, micro-algae is being looked at as the ‘Super Food’ of the future – a sustainable alternate nutrition to plants and animal meat, which not only can feed the ever bulging population but also tackle rampant malnutrition in under-developed countries across the world.
Micro-algae and Sustainability
Considering the fact that the nutritional value of micro-algae like Spirulina is equivalent to 1,000 Kilograms of assorted Fruits and Vegetables, scientists reckon the fact that they have a bigger role to play in our food system. Moreover, these organisms can be grown in all types of water – brackish or alkaline using less than 1/3 the amount of water, and on a smaller area of land surface that doesn’t necessarily have to be fertile. So there is no more cutting of rain forest thus, taking the pressure off deforestation for land-based cultivation. In fact, it could be an alternative to Soya-based animal feed, which is used globally to feed livestock, poultry and aquaculture industries.
By substituting micro-algae as animal feed, the vast tracts of lands presently used to grow Soybean crop could be instead used to grow grains, fruits and vegetables for human consumption without any adverse impact on ecosystem, wildlife, soil quality and climate.
Impact on Environment
While growing one Kg of Micro-Algae, 1.8 kg of Carbon Dioxide gets converted into Biomass and Oxygen. It absorbs CO2 directly from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gases and improving quality of air without adding any added pressure on the environment. As these organisms have the ability to grow almost anywhere, including wastewater, greywater and sea water, they could be used for recycling of industrial wastewater. Interestingly, substances such as Nitrates and Phosphates which are considered harmful to humans and environment, and which eventually end up into the sea are a source of nutrients for micro-algae.
In an increasingly urbanised habitat, micro-algae could help reduce the harmful environmental impact and also strip greenhouse gases from the atmosphere so as to improve the quality of water and air.
Future Unlimited
Micro-algae are tiny factories and renewable, sustainable and economical sources of biofuels, bioactive medicinal products and food ingredients. If scientists are convinced that micro-algae are going to be ultimate source of nutrition to mankind and answer several environmental problems, then why isn’t it grown everywhere when the requisite technology and knowhow is available? Popularly, micro-algae are grown in either a Raceway Pond or Photo-Bioreactor. In the first case, the cost of production is more economical but the chances of contamination are very high, whereas in the second the production cost is comparatively high as it requires huge land parcel and controlled environment. But, the good news is, scientists across the globe are working dedicatedly to make the plantation and harvesting process more cost-effective. They are working on the associated challenges and limitations, so as to overcome them and make it feasible and viable for commercial production on a larger scale. The pursuit for finding solutions to severe social and environmental concerns is on, and it is just a matter of time when the final breakthrough could be achieved.
Team ScienceNow
