Green Spring Technology's Spirulina Extract Overcomes Stability Challenges, Empowering Food Innovation

Spirulina is hailed as a “superfood,” with its extract concentrating high-value nutrients including premium protein, vitamins, minerals, gamma-linolenic acid, and carotenoids, making it an ideal raw material for developing premium functional foods.

Green Spring Technology's spirulina extract, purified and concentrated through advanced processes, delivers stable active ingredient content and high bioavailability. It finds broad application in dietary supplements, sports nutrition products, natural colorants, and functional foods, helping clients address core challenges:

· Clean label requirements: Provides naturally sourced proteins, pigments, and nutrients while reducing synthetic additives;

·  Nutritional fortification: Rich in phycocyanin, vitamins, and minerals like iron, enabling effortless product nutritional upgrades;

·  Functional ingredient applications: Retains active components such as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), chlorophyll, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), supporting product development targeting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits.

1 Spirulina Protein Extract: A New Choice for Natural, High-Quality Plant Protein

Spirulina boasts a protein content of 50%-78%, containing all essential amino acids with high digestibility and absorption rates, delivering outstanding nutritional value. Its core functional component, phycocyanin, accounts for approximately 20%, serving as both a natural blue pigment and antioxidant. Ideal for protein-fortified foods, sports nutrition, and clean label applications.

2 Spirulina Extract: A Premium Source of Natural Micronutrients

Green Spring Technology leverages advanced extraction processes to deliver a series of high-potency spirulina extract ingredients, providing natural and efficient micronutrient solutions for nutritional supplement, functional food, and beverage manufacturers.

Spirulina serves as a natural bio-carrier for multiple minerals (e.g., iron, iodine, manganese). Its iron content exists in an easily absorbable form, making it ideal for developing natural iron supplementation products.

Through proprietary bio-extraction and stabilization technology, Green Spring Technology maximizes the retention of active components while addressing common challenges in spirulina raw materials—such as color, taste, and processing stability—enabling seamless integration into tablets, capsules, powders, and diverse food matrices.

3 Spirulina Extract: The Next “Super Ingredient” for the Food Industry?

According to the latest industry reports, while 90% of global spirulina consumption remains in powder and tablet forms as mainstream dietary supplements, high-potency, highly stable spirulina extracts are emerging as a new focus for food and nutrition companies. This ancient ingredient is entering a new phase of industrial application through modern extraction technologies.

From Traditional Consumption to High-Value Ingredient

Spirulina has a long history as a food ingredient. In Chad, Africa, locals still maintain the tradition of consuming spirulina mud cakes (Dihé)—ground into powder and mixed with tomato sauce, pepper, and other ingredients to create a flavorful paste served with staple foods. Today, advanced biotechnological extraction enables standardized, large-scale isolation of core bioactive compounds like phycocyanin, polysaccharides, and chlorophyll. This provides integrated solutions for natural coloring, nutritional fortification, and functional enhancement in food and beverage innovation.

Expanding Applications, Stability Remains Key Challenge

Spirulina extracts are now being applied across multiple food categories:

· Health beverages and functional confectionery

· Naturally colored pasta and baking mixes

· Protein nutrition bars, yogurt, and dairy products

However, components like phycocyanin and chlorophyll in the extract remain sensitive to heat, light, and pH, limiting their widespread use in certain industrial food systems.

Technological Breakthroughs Drive Industry Upgrades

Addressing stability and application challenges, Green Spring Express offers multiple solutions for spirulina extract applications in food:

· Microencapsulation technology enhances extract heat and light resistance

· Research on composite color stabilizers and formulation compatibility

· Development of stable extract products tailored for specific applications

It is no longer merely a raw material for traditional dietary supplements but has become a vital source of natural pigments, plant proteins, and functional food ingredients. In the future, this “green raw material” is poised to deliver innovative products that integrate technology and health across more consumer scenarios.

3.1 Breakthrough in Spirulina Extract Application for Dairy Products: Stability Challenges Finally Addressed

Long regarded as an ideal natural ingredient for dairy innovation due to its exceptional nutritional value, spirulina powder has faced significant technical bottlenecks in industrial applications:

Clear Application Pain Points

Limited by its cell wall structure, spirulina powder cannot fully dissolve in water. More critically, its abundant natural pigments like chlorophyll and phycocyanin are extremely heat-sensitive. Whether using pre-pasteurization or aseptic addition processes, irreversible precipitation ranging from earthy yellow to brown easily occurs, severely compromising product appearance and consumer experience.

Industry Technology Continues to Break Through

To address this common industry challenge, Green Spring Technology and research institutions are advancing innovations in the following directions:

· Developing highly soluble spirulina extracts via enzymatic hydrolysis or ultrasonic disruption

· Enhancing thermal stability of active components through microencapsulation technology

· Introducing stabilized phycocyanin colorants specifically formulated for dairy products

These innovations not only significantly reduce precipitation but also broaden spirulina's application in yogurt, liquid milk, and dairy-based beverages. They deliver clean-label ingredients that combine natural coloration with functional nutrition.

3.1.1 Spirulina Extract Phycocyanin Empowers New Yogurt Products: A Dual Solution for Natural Pigmentation and Functional Enhancement

Phycocyanin, the core water-soluble active protein in spirulina, is emerging as a novel natural ingredient of interest in the dairy industry. Research indicates that in yogurt applications, it not only provides a bright natural blue hue but also improves product texture, demonstrating positive effects in reducing water separation and increasing firmness. It is a premium ingredient that combines bioactivity with coloring functionality.

Application Process Recommendations

Given phycocyanin's heat-sensitive nature, the industry generally recommends using aseptic addition during the inoculation stage to maximize preservation of its color and bioactivity.

Research data indicates

that when phycocyanin-fortified yogurt is stored at 4°C with pH reduced to 4.5:

· Yogurt viscosity increases with rising phycocyanin concentration

· System pH remains higher than conventional control groups

· Yogurt containing 4% phycocyanin (w/w) shows no significant difference in overall acceptability compared to regular yogurt

 Attention should be paid to changes in microbial activity

Notably, research indicates significant reductions in the activity of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus at days 14 and 21 of storage, respectively. Manufacturers are advised to address this challenge through strain selection or process optimization.

Phycocyanin offers an innovative pathway for natural coloring and functional enhancement in yogurt products. Balancing its interaction with probiotic activity will be a key direction for technological breakthroughs.

3.1.2 Spirulina Extracts Drive Ice Cream Innovation: Dual Benefits of Natural Nutrition and Quality Enhancement

Ice cream is emerging as a novel carrier for spirulina functional ingredients—recent industry practices demonstrate that incorporating spirulina powder and natural components like phycocyanin not only imparts unique health attributes to products but also significantly improves ice cream's physical properties.

Maturing Application Processes

At the production technology level, spirulina ingredients are recommended for addition during the aging process. This method maximizes the stability of active substances while minimizing processing impacts on color and flavor.

Validated Efficacy Data

Research indicates that adding 1.2% spirulina powder effectively:

· Increases product protein content, enhancing nutritional value

· Improves ice cream expansion rate, creating a lighter texture

· Enhance melt resistance, prolonging product shape retention

3.1.3 Spirulina Powder Pioneers New Category in Cheese, Upgrading Both Functionality and Quality

The cheese industry welcomes an innovative application of natural ingredients—spirulina powder. With its unique nutritional fortification and texture-modulating capabilities, it emerges as a new choice for upgrading soft and processed cheese products.

Mature Application Process

The current mainstream process recommends adding 1% spirulina powder during the freezing and salting stage of soft cheese production. After thorough mixing, the mixture is refrigerated for storage. This method is simple and easy to implement, facilitating large-scale production.

⭐ Significant Proven Effects

Research indicates that adding spirulina powder delivers multiple enhancements to cheese products:

· Nutritional fortification: Significantly increases protein and beta-carotene content

· Quality optimization: Reduces product moisture content and extends shelf life

· Texture improvement: Adding 4% spirulina powder to processed cheese effectively lowers hardness and melting index, enhancing palatability and processing adaptability

Spirulina cheese not only aligns with natural, nutritious consumption trends but also provides new R&D insights and market growth opportunities for traditional dairy innovation.

3.2 Spirulina Powder Empowers Noodle Product Upgrades: Dual Breakthroughs in Natural Nutrition and Green Appearance

The noodle industry welcomes a new choice for health-focused upgrades—spirulina powder. With its natural color and exceptional nutritional value, it is successfully applied across diverse categories including fresh wet noodles, dried hanging noodles, and pasta, infusing traditional staples with new health vitality.

Application Characteristics and Challenges

While providing a natural green hue to pasta products, spirulina powder exhibits a “self-limiting” characteristic due to its color properties—addition levels must strike an optimal balance between visual acceptability and nutritional fortification.

✅ Empirical Research Shows

Adding 0.25%-1% spirulina powder to pasta yields significant improvements:

· Substantially increases essential amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids

· Effectively enhances pasta nutritional value

· 0.25% addition yields outstanding results with excellent microbial safety and overall quality

Spirulina pasta aligns with clean label and natural health trends while offering innovative upgrades to traditional staples, positioning it as a promising growth segment in functional foods.

4  Spirulina Extracts: The Next Frontier in Functional Foods

As a natural, complete nutritional source, spirulina has gained prominence in the health food and dietary supplement markets due to its high content of antioxidants like phycocyanin and beta-carotene. Its combined advantages in physiological activity, nutritional diversity, and natural origin open new possibilities for modern nutritional supplementation.

Green Spring Technology Spirulina Extracts — Empowering Your Products:

Leveraging proprietary extraction and stabilization technologies, we offer a series of high-potency, highly compatible spirulina extracts dedicated to delivering core value to our clients:

· Natural origin and clean label align with consumer demand for health and natural ingredients

· Superior antioxidant support through high retention of active compounds

· Formulation flexibility for tablets, capsules, powders, and diverse supplement formats

· Consistent quality, effectively mitigating the deactivation issues common in traditional spirulina processing and storage

While spirulina remains technically challenging due to its heat and light sensitivity, Green Spring Technology has significantly enhanced its stability across diverse processing environments through innovative processes and microencapsulation technology. This empowers clients to develop more efficient and reliable product systems.

Contact us today at helen@greenspringbio.com or WhatsApp: +86 13649243917 for complimentary samples and product quotations to jointly explore new opportunities in the functional nutrition market!

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