Spirulina platensis as A Functional Food Additive

The concerns about inadequate and unbalanced nutrition and the increase in health problems associated with food additives increase the interest of consumers in healthy and minimally- processed functional food products. despite the millions of people living and trying to survive in hunger in underdeveloped and developing countries, food wastage and reduction in food resources still continue in industrial societies and cannot be prevented to a great extent. this case has a major impact on the search for alternative foods. due to their natural growth in seas, lakes and fresh waters and their rich nutritional composition, microalgae have been one of the main foods and source of income for people for years. spirulina platensis, a filamentous cyanobacterium known as blue-green algae, is often used as a single-celled protein. compared with the raw materials evaluated in the food industry, spirulina is drawn attention due to its rich protein, essential fatty acids and amino acids, carotenoids, vitamin and mineral content, and also having higher yield. it also has a high yield. in addition to its protective effects on liver, nervous system and kidney thanks to its rich phytochemical content, it has been reported to possess antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties. in this review, the physicochemical properties of s. platensis, its effects on human health and its potential in food technology will be discussed.