Spirulina Extract: A High-Protein Natural Colorant for Clean-Label, Healthy Products

Spirulina extract offers balanced nutrition, characterized by high protein content and low levels of fat and cholesterol. It is recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as a highly promising natural nutritional source. Produced by Green Spring Technology using advanced processes, our spirulina extract boasts high purity and consistent quality, making it an ideal ingredient for food and health supplements. It finds extensive application in nutritional supplements, functional foods, beverages, and related fields.

Green Spring Technology consistently prioritizes compliance, strictly adhering to national standards in production. Our spirulina extract is naturally pure and highly safe, with no reported adverse reactions to date, making it suitable for daily dietary supplementation.

As a company dedicated to the research, development, and production of natural ingredients, Green Spring Technology is committed to providing customers with high-quality, traceable spirulina extract products. We look forward to collaborating with industry partners to advance the innovation and application of spirulina extract in the health food sector, offering consumers more natural and safe nutritional choices.

1 Nutritional Value of Spirulina Extract

Spirulina extract is a highly concentrated natural ingredient rich in premium protein, multiple vitamins, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), polysaccharides, and various minerals and trace elements including calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium. Its excellent bioavailability makes it an ideal raw material for functional foods and premium nutritional supplements.

Its protein content is particularly noteworthy, with studies indicating a dry-basis protein concentration of 50%-60%. Phycoproteins, the primary protein components, include phycocyanin, phycobiliprotein, and phycoerythrin. Among these, phycocyanin serves not only as a natural coloring agent but also possesses potent antioxidant properties. It finds extensive applications in food, beverages, cosmetics, and other sectors, offering clean-label and naturally sourced color solutions for products.

Green Spring Technology's spirulina extract adheres to a natural and scientific extraction philosophy, maximizing the retention of active ingredients in the raw material to empower clients in developing more market-competitive natural health products. We are committed to providing stable, high-quality natural raw material support for the food, health supplement, and beauty industries.

2 Spirulina Applications and Prospects

2.1 Spirulina Food Additives

2.1.1 Natural Pigments and Nutritional Fortifiers

Spirulina extract is rich in natural beta-carotene, a nutrient-dense raw material widely found in nature with excellent stability. It serves as a premium coloring agent for beverages, confectionery, meat products, margarine, and other foods. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in the body, helping meet daily nutritional needs and supporting overall health. Its natural properties also position it as a promising functional food ingredient, suitable for developing various nutrient-enriched products.

2.1.2 Dairy Applications

Innovative uses of spirulina extract in dairy products are gaining significant attention. Research has successfully developed sugar-free, high-protein blended yogurt using cow's milk and spirulina powder as raw materials. The product boasts rich flavor while being rich in high-quality protein and multiple natural nutrients. Other researchers combined spirulina with yogurt to create novel yogurt products that balance taste and nutrition. Additionally, by incorporating spirulina extract into products, uniquely flavored and nutritionally rich spirulina lactic acid bacteria fermented beverages were developed. These applications demonstrate spirulina extract's potential to enhance the nutritional value and innovative flavors of dairy products, offering new directions for related product development.

2.1.3 Gelatinous Food Applications

The application of spirulina extract in colloidal foods demonstrates strong innovative potential. For instance, one study successfully developed chocolate-flavored jelly products by combining spirulina with ingredients like honey and chocolate, effectively enhancing the overall flavor while boosting nutritional value. Another study produced uniquely flavored, pleasantly textured jellies using konjac as the primary ingredient, paired with spirulina extract, white sugar, and citric acid. Furthermore, jelly products with a crystal-clear appearance and rich nutritional content were developed using spirulina extract without artificial coloring. Additionally, sugar-free black fungus jelly can be produced using natural ingredients like black fungus, freeze-dried sea cucumber powder, and spirulina powder. These achievements demonstrate the diverse applications of spirulina extract in improving food texture, enhancing natural color, and fortifying nutrition.

2.1.4 Beer Brewing Applications

Spirulina extract demonstrates unique value in beer brewing. Research has successfully developed beer products with distinctive flavors and natural coloration by incorporating spirulina extract during production. Experiments confirm that appropriate additions effectively integrate into the beer system, imparting harmonious flavor characteristics. Separately, processed spirulina extract applied in brewing produced finished beers with pure mouthfeel and mellow flavor. These applications demonstrate spirulina extract's potential in specialty beer development, offering a new natural ingredient option for beer innovation.

2.2 Functional Food Applications

Due to its balanced nutritional profile and diverse natural bioactive compounds, spirulina extract demonstrates broad application potential in the functional food sector. Its low-sugar, low-fat, and high-protein characteristics align with modern health-conscious dietary demands, making it suitable for developing various nutritional supplement products.

Research indicates spirulina extract can serve as a functional ingredient in multiple food applications. For instance, studies have combined it with other natural materials like oil-infused tea leaves and nuts to create nutrient-rich solid food blends; while others incorporate it into daily foods like breakfast breads to enhance nutritional value. Additionally, spirulina extract has been successfully combined with ingredients like moringa leaves to develop more comprehensive and balanced tablet products, with all physical indicators meeting relevant quality standards.

Natural pigments in spirulina extract, such as phycocyanin, not only offer excellent coloring properties but also possess nutritional value, providing diverse options for functional food development. These applications demonstrate the potential of spirulina extract in promoting dietary nutritional balance and supporting healthy lifestyles, offering a premium natural ingredient for future food innovation.

2.3 Aquaculture Applications

With its natural and nutritionally balanced properties, spirulina extract is increasingly recognized as a high-quality feed ingredient in aquaculture. It shows promising potential for enhancing animal health and improving farming efficiency.

Research indicates that in fish farming, feed supplemented with spirulina extract helps improve the overall physical condition of fry and positively impacts survival rates. For instance, trials adding spirulina powder to black carp feed showed healthy fish populations with good growth after a period of feeding.

In poultry farming, spirulina extract can also serve as a feed supplement. Related studies suggest it may positively influence body condition in broiler chicken rearing. Furthermore, incorporating trace-element-rich spirulina into laying hen diets can improve eggshell quality and reduce breakage to some extent.

These application examples demonstrate that spirulina extract, as a sustainable natural nutritional source, promotes healthy aquaculture and offers new solutions for enhancing the quality and efficiency of the farming industry.

2.4 Cosmetics and Personal Care Applications

Due to its rich content of bioactive compounds and micronutrients, spirulina extract has garnered significant attention in the cosmetics and personal care sectors in recent years. Its natural antioxidant properties help neutralize free radicals, delay skin aging, and provide the skin with abundant amino acids and various nutritional active ingredients, thereby supporting skin health.

Spirulina extract is mild in nature with excellent human compatibility. No adverse reactions have been reported to date, making it a highly safe natural cosmetic ingredient suitable for various skincare and beauty product formulations.

Furthermore, spirulina extract demonstrates potential applications in weight management foods. Research has combined it with natural ingredients like multigrain powder, vegetable powder, and konjac pulp to develop nutritional meal replacement products. while others combine it with plant extracts and food additives to create tablet-based foods, offering consumers more health-conscious choices.

These applications demonstrate the diverse potential of spirulina extract in the “cosmeceutical” field, providing strong support for its expansion in the natural beauty and health product market.

3 Conclusion and Application Outlook

As a widely recognized natural nutritional source, spirulina is hailed as a “superfood” and holds a significant position in the global health product sector. Rich in multiple micronutrients, it serves as a low-fat, low-calorie, cholesterol-free source of high-quality plant protein, offering broad application prospects in dietary supplements, functional foods, and skincare.

Green Spring Spring Technology leverages advanced extraction processes and stringent quality control systems to consistently deliver high-purity, premium-grade spirulina extracts. Our products exhibit excellent solubility and stability, facilitating easy incorporation into diverse end-product formulations including solid beverages, softgels, tablets, energy bars, nutritional meal replacements, functional dairy products, and skincare items.

Green Spring Spirulina Extract effectively assists clients in achieving natural ingredient sourcing and functional upgrades, enhancing product differentiation and competitiveness. We remain committed to integrating resources and optimizing processes to provide clients with stable, reliable raw material solutions, empowering businesses to meet the growing demand for health-conscious consumption.

Looking ahead, as the broader health industry continues to evolve, Green Spring Technology will deepen its expertise in natural ingredients—including spirulina extracts—collaborating with clients to pioneer innovative applications.

Contact us today at helen@greenspringbio.com or WhatsApp: +86 13649243917 to request spirulina extract samples and detailed product information. Green Spring Technology stands ready to become your trusted partner in health-focused ingredients!

References:

[1] Wang Zhiping, Qian Kaixian. Research progress in genetic breeding of spirulina [J]. Microbiology Bulletin, 2000, 27(4): 288.

[2] Ma Guiwu, Qiu Chunyi. The development status and prospects of spirulina in China [J]. Journal of Zhanjiang Ocean University, 1997, 17(1): 78, 80.

[3] Hu Hongjun. The current situation and development trend of spirulina biotechnology abroad [J]. Wuhan Botanical Research, 1997, 15(4): 369-374.

[4] AINAS M, HASNAOUI S, BOUARAB R, et al. Hydrogen production with the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis[J]. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2017: 1-6.

[5] TAMAGNINI P, AXELSSON R, LINDBERG P, et al. Hydrogenases and hydrogen metabolism of cyanobacteria[J]. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev, 2002(66): 1e20.

[6] ANANYEV G, CARRIERI D, DISMUKES GC. Optimization ofmetabolic capacity and flux through environmental cues to maximize hydrogen production by the cyanobacterium arthrospira (Spirulina) maxima[J]. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2008(74): 6102e13.

[7] Cao Songyi, Guo Wei, Zhang Shaobin, et al. Research progress on the factors affecting the content of spirulina polysaccharides [J]. Hebei Agricultural Science, 2015, 14(5): 59-60.

[8] ZHENG Y, ZHU F, LIN D, et al. Optimization of formulation and processing of Moringa oleifera and spirulina complex tablets[J]. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2016, 24(1): 122-126.

[9] Xu Haibin, Chen Yan, Li Fang, et al. Investigation of microcystin contamination in raw materials and products of spirulina health food [J]. Health Research, 2003, 32(4): 339-343.

[10] HUIJUAN X, GUIHUA X. Review health effect ofspirulina as function food[J]. Agric Sci, 2005(26): 90-93.

[11] HERNANDEZ F Y F, KHANDUAL S. Cytotoxic effect of Spirulina platensis  extracts on human acute leukemia Kasumi-1 and chronic myelogenous leukemia K-562 cell lines[J]. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 2017, 7(1): 14-19.