Tackling community undernutrition at lake Bogoria, Kenya: The potential of spirulina (Arthrospira fusiformis) as a food supplement

Abstract

Undernutrition remains a major public health concern for many developing nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, undernutrition affects a substantial portion of the Kenyan population, especially children and those living in rural areas. Local and sustainable means of addressing undernutrition is still lacking in many communities in urban, but more so in rural areas of Kenya. Spirulina (Arthrospira fusiformis), a cyanobacterium from alkaline inland waters, high in nutrient content, is a potential means of treating undernutrition in the developing world, where it can be easily grown. This paper presents a feasibility study on the harvest of Spirulina from Lake Bogoria in the Kenyan Rift Valley for use as a food supplement for undernutrition mitigation in the surrounding rural communities. A nutrition survey revealed the local population to be deficient in a number of micronutrients, specifically vitamins E and B12 that could be provided through dietary supplementation with Spirulina. A sample of Spirulina was collected from Lake Bogoria and analyzed for nutrient content and the presence of toxins. It was found that Lake Bogoria Spirulina had a dry protein content of 14.6% and is a rich source of dietary iron, with an iron content of 1.86%. A toxicity analysis revealed that Lake Bogoria Spirulina contained 1.15ng/g of microcystins (a group of hepatotoxic small polypeptides produced by several strains of cyanobacteria), which is within levels safe for human consumption according to World Health Organization standards. It was concluded that Lake Bogoria Spirulina is an easily accessible source of food and has the potential to be a sustainable means for the Lake Bogoria community to tackle undernutrition. Finally, using the data gathered, consultation sessions were arranged with key community groups and members to discuss the feasibility and potential for incorporation of Spirulina into the local diet -an ongoing collaborative process between researchers and the community that has already been met with some success.

A review on Spirulina: alternative media for cultivation and nutritive value as an aquafeed

“…Spirulina is also recognized as an excellent source of vitamin E comparable to that found in wheat germ (Yin et al . 2017). The primary antioxidants contained in spirulina are β‐carotene, other carotenoids and vitamin E.…”

Antioxidant, anti-cancer and ameliorative activities of Spirulina platensis and pomegranate juice against hepatic damage induced by CCl4

“…Other pigments have been known, such as pheophytin-like compounds, siphonin and astaxanthin along with other minor carotenoids (Mendiola et al, 2005). Similarly, Spirulina platensis displayed high β-carotene content 30 times higher than that contained in carrots (Yin et al, 2017). Carotenoids recorded antioxidant properties as active compounds but their efficacy varies between source to source (Sallam et al, 2017;Cipolatti et al, 2019;El-Beltagi et al, 2018, 2019a.…”

Optimal Laboratory Cultivation Conditions of Limnospira maxima for Large-Scale Production

“…This is evidenced by its high protein content, representing 60-70% of its dry weight, and its vitamin B 12 content. Around 60% of its protein content consists of phycobiliproteins, highly valued pigments in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and food industries [3][4][5]. These qualities have promoted its trade and consumption by millions of people worldwide, endorsed by governments, health agencies, and associations from more than 60 countries [6].…”

“…Another significant feature of L. maxima cultivation is its short reproductive cycle and the ability to thrive in resource-and space-constrained areas [10]. Being widely cultivated, it contributes to over 30% of global microalgal biomass production [4,11], generating approximately 20,000 metric tons annually [12]. However, its potential is constrained by a lack of knowledge regarding its optimal cultivation conditions and the high costs and limited availability of its traditional nitrogen source, sodium nitrate (NaNO 3 ), which costs approximately USD 100 to USD 170 per kg.…”