1. Spirulina (Arthrospira) Production Under Nature and Nurture
Amha Belay
Earthrise Nutritionals LLC
PO Box 270 Glendale CA 91204
USA
Online with Ecology of Cyanobacteria II
Whitton BA (ed.) (2012) Springer, Dordrecht.
Images copyright of author of article

3. Spirulina in Nature
Highly alkaline water with pH up to 11; important for Spirulina (Arthrospira), but not so for other algae
Soluble NPK and trace elements from runoff and recycling
Shallow and mixed by wind
Hot Arid areas of the tropics and subtropics; marginal land unsuitable for conventional agriculture

4. Historical Aspects
The earliest photosynthetic organisms that made oxygenic life possible.
Cyanobacteria are the most conserved species with little evolutionary change.

5. Historical Aspects
Spirulina grew wild in the great soda lakes of Central Mexico and was prized by the ancient Aztecs. It was collected from surface water with fine-meshed nets and dried into cakes. The explorer, Cortes, noted in 1519 that it was traded as a commodity in the street markets like cheese. Spirulina continued to be harvested from L. Texcoco until about 5 years ago.

6. Historical Aspects
Lake Chad and surrounding lakes Bodou and Rombou in Africa have sustained dense populations of Spirulina algae for centuries. The local Kanembu people harvest Spirulina with baskets and sun dry them into cakes called dihe’.
Today, it is still collected and consumed as a main source of protein and is used in about 70% of their meals.

7. Spirulina A Storehouse of Nutrients –A Superfood
Contains one of the richest concentrations of nutrients known in any food, plant, grain or herb.
Among the highest protein contents of any living organism
Low in calories and fat; low in sodium. One of a few sources of GLA fatty acid High in bioavailable iron A real vegetarian food

8. Spirulina Components of Benefit
Health promoting Phytonutrients
A rich source of beta-carotene (Vitamin A) and zea-xanthin antioxidants
Chlorophyll for cleansing
Unique blue pigment, phycocyanin, with anti- inflammatory and antioxidant effects
SOD for scavenging of oxygen radicals
Polysaccharides for cell protection, immune defense & prebiotic effects
A source of vitamin B12 important in red blood cell regeneration

9. Green powdered mixes Smoothies Confectionery Food bars Baked desserts
Spirulina as food
Green powdered mixes
Smoothies
Confectionery
Food bars
Baked desserts
Pasta
Crackers
Breakfast cereals
Frozen desserts
Specialty beer!

10. Spirulina as a Dietary Supplement
Bottled powder
Tablets
Capsules
Caplets

11. Spirulina health benefits

12. Spirulina Production in Nature
In Lake Nakuru, Kenya, (1973/73) almost a million flamingoes on the lake consumed about 60 t (dry weight) of Spirulina a day
The combination of consumption by grazers and algal respiration often nearly balances daily production and leads to a surprisingly constant cyanobacterial biomass density for months and even years
Lake Arenguade, Ethiopia has the highest recorded areal primary productivity of any natural system

13. Temperature
Epilimnion PS
Depth
Depth
Metalimnion
Hypolimnion
Light
Buoyancy regulation during stratification and nocturnal mixing may help reduce photoinhibition and nutrient limitation

14. Why So Productive?
Huge reserve of carbon in the form of carbonate/bicarbonate with good buffering capacity
High photosynthetic activity
Very high biomass densities resulting in self-shading and avoidance of photoinhibition during stratification
Recycling of nutrients aided by nocturnal cooling and mixing
CO2 recycling by flamingos?
Size exclusion of predation

15. NATURE PROVIDES Light Sun Mixing Energy Wind
Carbon (Alkalinity) Soda lakes
Nutrients Recycling
Algal Contamination Predation

16. Spirulina Mass Production: The Earthrise Way
Culturing
Harvesting
Drying
Packaging
Closed loop system with almost complete recycling of materials

17. Spirulina in Mass Culture

21. Spirulina Production Features and Problems Light Climate
Temperature Effects
Mixing and Recycling and associated Problems
Control of Contamination & Predation
Harvest Efficiency and associated Problems

22. Earthrise Farms - California

23. Sunset Over Earthrise

24. Earthrise Farms
California, USA