Local spirulina getting popularity as food supplement among consumers

Shamsul Huda | Published: March 03, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

Protein-rich spirulina of local quality is getting popularity as a food supplement among consumers to meet their protein deficiency.
With the help of French scientists and the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) this food is currently harvested locally by some farms.
As per training and guidelines provided and licensed by the BCSIR, a good number of farms are cultivating this food item maintaining an international standard process.
Spirulina is a natural protein-enriched microbial algae in which the availability of protein ingredient per unit is more than 50 per cent, the highest in the world.
Currently, in many countries of the world including Bangladesh spirulina is being used as a natural protein food supplement.
A decade back some French scientists provided training, techniques and made available local weather data favouring spirulina cultivation to the BCSIR people.
After a few days of getting support from the French people, the BCSIR took initiative to produce spirulina locally.
At present at least 15 farms are producing spirulina in the local weather.
A source at the BCSIR said though a good number of farms got BCSIR licence and training, many are not still cultivating the food item.
He said a couple of farms are doing better in cultivation of spirulina in their farms by maintaining the BCSIR designed standards and weather in their farming lands.
Among the licence winning farms, Square Herbal and Nutraceuticals, Bexter Pharmaceuticals and Life Line International and some others are growing the microbial algae.
Engineer Aminul Islam, Managing Director of Life Line International, a sister concern of the Project Builders Limited, said, "I invested a good amount of money in cultivating the spirulina at my farm in Sonargaon."
He said in spirulina production its scientific process is more important than the size of investment.
Mr Islam said his company is currently producing more than 600 kg of spirulina and its demand is increasing by 15 per cent every year.
He said for quality production of the microbial protein-rich algae one has to maintain a particular temperature and environment in the farm land.
A source in another farm which has got licence from the BCSIR said spirulina is a safe source of protein, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that has been used for centuries.
He said spirulina from China, USA and other countries is also available in the local market.
A good amount of sub-standard spirulina is being sold at higher prices than those of locally produced quality ones.
A container of spirulina of US origin is sold at Tk 700 to Tk 800 and a Chinese container is available at Tk 200 to Tk 300.
A source in the Life Line International said, "We pack spirulina in both tablet and capsule shapes and per container of our spirulina is sold at only Tk 150 to Tk 200."
He said, "Our company is producing spirulina by maintaining the world's best process designed by the BCSIR."