Compositional and toxicological evaluation of the diazotrophic Cyanobacterium, Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142

• Published in: Aquaculture 1995, Vol.134 (3), p.339-349
• Main Authors: Schneegurt, Mark A., Arieli, Boaz, McKeehen, John D., Stephens, Steven D., Nielsen, S.Suzanne, Saha, Puspa R., Trumbo, Paula R., Sherman, Louis A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Amino Acids - analysis; Animals; Applied microbiology; Bacterial Proteins - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Carbohydrates - analysis; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; COMPOSICION QUIMICA; COMPOSITION CHIMIQUE; CONTENIDO DE LIPIDOS; CONTENIDO PROTEICO; Cyanobacteria - chemistry; Cyanobacteria - growth & development; Cyanobacteria - metabolism; Cyanobacteria, human nutrition; CYANOPHYTA; Cyanothece; Dietary Fiber - analysis; Ecological Systems, Closed; Extracellular Matrix; Fatty Acids - analysis; Food - toxicity; Food, Fortified; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; HUMAN NUTRITION; Humans; Life Support Systems; LIPID CONTENT; Lipids - analysis; Man/System Technology And Life Support; Microbiology; Minerals - analysis; Nitrogen - analysis; Nucleic Acids - analysis; NUTRICION HUMANA; Nutrition; NUTRITION HUMAINE; NUTRITIVE VALUE; PROTEIN CONTENT; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; TENEUR EN LIPIDES; TENEUR EN PROTEINES; Toxicology; VALEUR NUTRITIVE; VALOR NUTRITIVO
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/0044-8486(95)00054-6

Compositional analyses of Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142 showed high protein (50–60%) and low fat (0.4–1%) content, and the ability to synthesize vitamin B 12. The amino acid profile indicated that Cyanothece sp. was a balanced protein source. Fatty acids of the 18:3n-3 type were also present. Mineral analyses indicated the cellular biomass may be a good source of Fe, Zn, and Na. Caloric content was 4.5 to 5.1 kcal g dry weight −1 and the carbon content was approximately 40% on a dry weight basis. Nitrogen content was 8 to 9% on a dry weight basis and total nucleic acids were 1.3% on a dry weight basis. Short-term feeding studies in rats followed by histopathology found no toxicity or dietary incompatibility problems. The level of uric acid and allantoin in urine and tissues was low, suggesting no excess of nucleic acids, as sometimes reported in the past for a cyanobacteria-containing diet. The current work discusses the potential implications of these results for human nutrition applications.