Spirulina platensis

Spirulina platensis is a species of microalgae found in marine environments, continental or inland waters, in soils or even in association with other plants and animals. According to Oliveira (2006), Spirulina platensis stands out due to its nutritional composition, which can reach 80% of its total dry weight, high protein content and the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as γ-linolenic acid and β-carotene and phycocyanin pigments. Several species are grown commercially in some countries, and the biomass produced has been used as a source of products for application in the food industry. One of the reasons microalgae are used to enrich foods is because of their high nutritional value. As well as using Spirulina biomass to enrich foods in industry, it can also be used to treat pathologies such as protein-energy malnutrition.