Scientists bet on protein-packed spirulina to mitigate global malnutrition

Two professors from the University of Arizona, US, are developing a cost-effective, spirulina-based nutrition solution in bioreactors to combat global food insecurity and malnutrition, especially in climate-affected regions.

Dr. Floyd Chilton, professor and director at the Center for Precision Nutrition and Wellness, and Dr. Joel Cuello, professor at the Department of Biosystems Engineering at the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, are working to help people with the blue-green microalgae.

“We are facing an existential crisis,” says Chilton. “The world population will be around 10 billion people by 2050. That means we need to increase food production to feed those people. And we must do that in the face of climate change, which is reducing our capacity.”

Michael Dake, MD, SVP of Health Sciences at the University of Arizona, believes “the spirulina project has exciting potential to make a difference around the world.”

Protein-dense solution 

Spirulina, a type of cyanobacteria, is an alternative protein growing on lake and pond surfaces and can also be grown in bioreactors.

“Spirulina is great because it doesn’t require a lot of land or fresh water. In fact, it consumes carbon dioxide and puts oxygen back into the atmosphere. So, it has a reverse effect on greenhouse gasses,” says Chilton.

“Not only is spirulina high in protein, but it is a complete source of nine essential amino acids.  For a plant-based food, spirulina is simply miraculous.”

It is touted to also be rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In supplements, it can regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol, inflammation and blood pressure while promoting the gut microbiome, says the university.

Chilton and Cuello say they are growing spirulina with 78% protein per dry weight, which is said to be a higher amount than nutritional supplements currently on the market. They seek to tackle the global issue of protein malnutrition and develop an inexpensive method of growing the bacteria for application in regions facing food insecurity.

To that end, the professors are creating a complete nutritional profile of their spirulina with companies.

Spirulina is high in protein and is a complete source of nine essential amino acids.“We didn’t want to use any patented or original designs because we wanted the bioreactors to be simple in design, simple to operate and able to be affordably built using locally available materials,” says Cuello. “We want the local population to be able to build them, repair them and operate them.”

Method and future testing

The research team chose the bubble-column design for the bioreactors for its simplicity.

Cuello underscores: “We are already in the era of a changing climate, and it has resulted in significant disruptions to weather patterns around the world. It throws off the normal planting and harvesting schedules, not to mention the fact that times of excessive rain and long droughts kill crops.”

“But by operating in a controlled environment, as we do with our bioreactors, agriculture is more sustainable and can be done 365 days a year.”

Chilton and Cuello say they will work with global partners on a clinical trial after developing a viable food product to improve the health and nutrition of severely malnourished children. 

The university warns that 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, or one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. 

In other developments, researchers identified a gut bacterial enzyme with metabolic capacities linked to better growth in children receiving therapeutic food to nurture healthy gut microbes. 

A group of World Food Prize laureates called for US action on global hunger and malnutrition as elections ignore the crisis.