Z Lebensm Unters Forsch (1995) 201:289-292
Lebensmitte[ o
Original paper
Storage quality of powdered cyanobacterium - Spirulina platensis
K. R. Kumar, M. Mahadevaswamy, L. V. Venkataraman
Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore-570013, India
Received October 21, 1994
Abstract, The cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis, pro-
duced at the Central Food Technological Research Institute,
was dried using the cross-flow technique and subsequently
subjected to packaging studies. The moisture sorption
studies at 27 ~ indicated a critical moisture content of
12.5%, corresponding to 56% relative humidity (RH). The
product was packed in pouches made of polypropylene
(37 g m thick) and a laminate of metallized polyester with
low-density polyethylene and was stored at: (1) 38 ~ 90%
RH (accelerated condition) or (2) 27 ~ 65% RH (standard
condition). Periodically throughout its storage under these
conditions, the product was analysed for its content of
moisture, protein, ash and fat. In addition, determinations
were made of the changes in the constituents carotene,
phycocyanin and allophycocyanin.
Introduction
In recent years, commercial production of Spirulina has
been increased, because of a growing awareness of its
nutritional quality. The major market for this product is
in natural and health foods [1]. The technology of Spirulina
has been well established [2]; detailed studies have been
carried out to characterize the nutritional value [3] and
safety aspects [4] of the dry powder form. The moisture
sorption characteristics of differently processed cyanobac-
terium, i.e. drum-dried, sun-dried and spray-dried samples
have been examined [5], but since the storage qualities of
the products thus processed were not critically evaluated,
the present study was undertaken to determine the shelf-life
of the product with respect to changes in chemical con-
stituents and moisture during storage.
Correspondence to: K. R. Kumar
Zeitschrift far
Uatersuchung
und-Forschung
9 Springer-Verlag 1995
Materials and methods
Spirulina platensis powder. This was cultivated in outdoor polyvinyl
chloride tanks with "CFTRI medium" i.e. that of the Central Food
Technological Research Institute, plus sodium bicarbonate, with NPK
mixture and superphosphate as the culture medium [3]. The algal
slurry was harvested by gravity filtration and the wet slurry was dried
by a cross-flow drier at 60~ for a minimum of 6 h.
Packaging materials. Cast polypropylene (CPP), with moderate rates
of water vapour and gas transmission, and a laminate of metallized
polyester plus low-density polyethylene (MPET), with superior barrier
properties, were selected to provide short- and long-term shelf-lives,
respectively.
The thickness, tensile strength and elongation were determined as
per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) [6]. The water vapour and
oxygen transmissions rates were determined according to test methods
of the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) [7, 8].
Moisture sorption studies. The Spirulina powder was exposed to
relative humidities (RH) ranging from 11% to 90%, using appropriate
saturated salt solutions [9]. Petri dishes, each containing 5-8 g of the
sample, were placed in duplicate in desiccators maintained at
27 • 1 ~ From moisture sorption data, a Bmnnaner-Emmett-Teller
(BET) plot was drawn [10] and the monomolecular moisture content
was calculated.
Analytical methods. The samples were analysed for moisture, fat and
ash contents as per BIS standards [11]. Protein was estimated accor-
ding to the procedure of Pearson [12] and phycocyanin, allophyco-
cyanin and carotene contents were determined by the standard pro-
cedure of Hellebust and Craigie [13].
Storage studies. Individual pouches (of dimension 14 cm • 18 cm)
containing 200 g of powder were stored under accelerated (38 ~ 90%
RH) and standard (27~ 65% RH) conditions. The samples were
withdrawn periodically and analysed for chemical parameters and
changes in colour.
Statistical analysis. The data were analysed statistically as a 2 • 2 x 6
factorial design, with factors being changed in a random fashion and
measurements made in triplicate [14]. The relationships between the
different storage conditions and types of packaging and the parameters
measured were determined by analyses of variance for the factorial
design, whereas Duncan's multiple range test was used to determine
significant differences between the means.
290

Results and discussion

40
Physico-chemical tests on packaging materials

The results of the tests on the two packaging materials are

given in Table 1. As expected, the tensile strength of the
polyester laminate was nearly 3 times that of CPP because
of the polyester web. Although the water vapour and
oxygen transmission rates of the MPET laminate were
l:l

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,j
35

30

25
/
lower than those of CPR the values found were high in
comparison to those generally reported, i.e. in the range of 15
E
0.5-1.5 g.m-2.24 h -1 and 1 - 4 ml.m-2.24 h-t-kPa-1, respec- .=_
tively [15]. These high values may be attributed to the thin I0
layer of aluminium coating. g
5
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Moisture sorption characteristics
The moisture sorption, (i. e. desorption - adsorption) iso-
therm of the product at 27 ~ is shown in Fig. 1. The curve
is the typical sigmoidal shape that is characteristic of foods
containing a high percentage of cellulosics or starch [16].
The product, which had an initial moisture content of
5.5% on a dry basis, had an equilibrium RH value (ERH) of
19% or water activity (aw) of 0.19. The product retained its
characteristic colour and free-flowing property up to a
moisture content of 12.8% (on a dry basis).
At a moisture level of 15.9%, corresponding to an aw
value of 0.64, the Spirulina powder was slightly lumpy
and had a fair green colour, while at an aw of 0.75,
corresponding to 23.5% ERH, it was soggy and had a
bleached appearance. Growth of mould was observed at
and above an aw of 0.86. It is construed generally that
for starchy foods the critical moisture content is that
corresponding to an aw of 0.65. However, it was found
that for the product under study, the critical moisture
content was 12.8% (on a dry basis) with an aw of 0.56
Reletive humidity, ~
Fig. 1. Moisture sorption isotherm of powdered Spirulina
from the point of view of colour retention and free-
flowing property.
The monomolecular moisture content, which repre-
sents the lowest level required for safe storage and the
minimum level to which the product could be dried
economically, was found to be 5.5% (on a dry basis)
corresponding to an aw of 0.22. This indicates that the
product under study, i.e. cross-flow-dried Spirulina, is
similar in its moisture sorption characteristics to the
drum-dried sample, rather than the spray-dried or sun-
dried samples [5].
Storage studies at 38 ~ and 90% RH

The changes in chemical constituents and moisture content

Table 1. Physico-chemicalproperties of flexible pouch materials during storage are indicated in Tables 2 and 3. The initial
Property Material moisture content of 5.5% gradually increased in both types
of packaging, reaching the critical value of 12.4% in the
Cast Metallized CPP pouch at the end of 180 days of storage. In the case of
polypropylene polyester/ MPET pouches, it was only 11.9% after the same period of
polyethylene storage.
Average thickness (gm) 39 12/35 The phycocyanin content decreased gradually, reach-
ing values of 3% from the initial value of 6%. Further-
Tensile strength (kN/m)
Machine direction 0.83 2.49 more, it could be observed from the data in Table 2 that
Transverse direction 0.71 1.84 there was little difference between the two packaging
materials. The changes in the allophycocyanin contents
Elongation (%)
Machine direction 400 200 were more dissimilar, the product packed in a laminate
Transverse direction 600 200 of polyester film affording better protection, as indicated
by the allophycocyanin content of 1.8% as compared to
Water vapour transmission rate
(g-m 2-25 h-1) at: 1.1% in CPP pouches at the end of 180 days of storage.
38 ~ RH 6.4 4.0 The decrease in the carotene content during storage was
27 ~ RH 1.9 1.1 similar to that of allophycocyanin and, in this case, the
Oxygen transmission rate at 27~ 168.8 4.7 decrease was more pronounced in the sample packed in
(ml.m-2.24 h-].kPa-1) CPR i.e. from an initial value of 390 mg/100 g to 56 mg/
100 g at the end of 180 days of storage, while in MPET
Opacity Transparent Opaque
pouches, carotene content had decreased to only 200 mg/
RH, Relative humidity 100 g.
 291

Table 2. Changes in moisture, phycocyanin, allophycocyanin and carotene contents of Spirulina during storage

Storage period Package Constituent

(days) type
Moisture content Phycocyanin content Allophycocyanin content Carotene content
(%) (%) (%) (mg/100 g)

AC NC AC NC AC NC AC NC
0 - 5.52 5.52 6.00 6.00 2.65 2.65 390.00 390.00
30 CPP 7.13 6.00 5.57 5.83 2.22 2.32 275.00 293.33
MPET 6.97 5.87 5.47 5.67 2.37 2.43 321.67 340.67
60 CPP 8.50 6.50 5.00 5.57 1.92 2.23 175.67 197.67
MPET 8.53 6.40 5.17 5.43 2.22 2.32 263.33 291.67
90 CPP 9.60 6.93 4.47 5.37 1.62 2.08 146.67 273.33
MPET 6.50 6.87 4.60 5.23 2.06 2.25 243.33 265.00
120 CPP 10.83 7.60 4.33 4.97 1.42 2.03 130.67 131.67
MPET 10.50 7.27 4.13 5.03 1.85 2.17 227.33 246.67
150 CPP 11.63 7.87 3.53 4.70 1.28 1.92 93.33 126.67
MPET 11.40 7.83 3.67 4.97 1.82 2.02 215.00 206.67
180 CPP 12.40 8.30 3.00 4.53 1.07 1.87 58.67 111.67
MPET 11.90 8.03 3.03 4.70 1.72 1.95 203.33 203.33
Statistics
SEM +0.05 _+0.04 _+0.017 _+1.96
(46 df) (46 dr) (46 df) (46 dr)
1. Between accelerated and *** *** ***
normal conditions (A)
2. Between package types (B) *** NS ***
3. Between storage periods (C) *** *** ***
4. A x B NS NS ***
5. A • C *** *** ***
6. B • C *** *** ***
7. A x B x C NS *** ***
CPR Cast polypropylene; MPET, metallized polyester/low-density Au values are given as means
polyethylene laminate; AC, accelerated condition; NC, normal condi- *** Significant at P <0.001
ton; df. degrees of freedom; NS, not significant

It was observed (Table 3) that the changes in protein, ash
and fat contents were minimal, ranging between 3% and
10%.
Storage studies at 27~ and 65% RH
As expected, the changes occurring in the chemical con-
stituents of stored Spirulina powder a under standard
conditions were less pronounced than those occurring
under accelerated conditions.
The increase in the moisture content was gradual in
samples stored in both MPET and CPP pouches (Table 2),
the former type affording slightly better protection.
The phycocyanin and allophycocyanin contents also
gradually decreased, but not to the same extent as observed
under accelerated storage conditions. The decrease in the
carotene content was also similar to that occurring under
accelerated conditions, i. e. decreases from 390 mg/100 g to
110 mg/100 g and to 210 mg/100 g in CPP and MPET
pouches, respectively.
A perusal of data in Table 3 indicates that variations in
the content of protein, ash and fat were less under standard
conditions as compared to accelerated conditions. Another
factor that was observed during the storage was the change
in (product) colour. Although under standard conditions the
colour of the product remained almost unchanged, i.e.
green, in the sample packed in MPET, in the case of CPP
pouches, under either storage conditions, the colour had
turned blue-green after 60 days of storage, especially under
accelerated conditions.
Conclusion
The experiments conducted to investigate the effects of
packaging and storage on the cross-flow-dried cyanobacte-
rium, SpiruIina platensis, have indicated that the critical
moisture content was 12.8% on a dry basis, corresponding
to an aw value of 0.56 at 27 ~ The chemical constituents,
protein and fat are less dependent on the storage conditions
292

Table 3. Changes in protein, ash and fat contents of Spirulina during storage
Storage period Package type Constituent
(days)
Protein content (%) Ash content (%) Fat content (%)

AC NC AC NC AC NC
0 - 62.78 62.78 10.70 10.70 1.68 1.68
30 CPP 62.74 62.73 10.36 10.55 1.65 1.64
MPET 61.73 61.35 10.75 10.64 1.64 1.60
60 CPP 62.73 62.40 9.99 10.37 1.61 1.62
MPET 60.90 62.79 10.77 10.44 1.63 1.55
90 CPP 62.19 62.24 9.89 10.27 1.59 1.62
MPET 60.80 62.47 10.84 10.32 1.59 1.59
120 CPP 61.77 62.04 9.83 10.26 1.58 1.65
MPET 60.74 62.06 10.82 10.06 1.58 1.56
150 CPP 61.36 62.27 9.76 10.22 1.58 1.64
MPET 60.73 62.20 10.79 10.07 1.56 1.57
180 CPP 60.95 62.53 9.70 10.17 1.58 1.65
MPET 60.69 62.28 10.82 10.52 1.59 1.58
Statistics
SEM _+0.159 _+0.031 +_0.014
(46 df) (46 df) (46 df)
1. Between accelerated and NS
normal conditions (A)
2. Between package types (B) *** NS NS
3. Between storage periods (C) ***
4. A • ***
5. A x C ***
6. B x C *** *** NS
7. A • *** *** NS
See legend to Table 2 for details of abbreviations

and packaging materials. Ingredients such as phycocyanin,
allophycocyanin and carotene in the product are prone to
greater loss. Furthermore, material such as MPET affords a
longer shelf-life. Unit pouches made of polypropylene
provide a shelf-life of about 6 months when packed in
200 g units even under conditions of high temperature and
humidity, while the laminate affords greater protection.
Acknowledgements. The authors thank Mr. B. S. Ramesh, 6 scientist at
the Sensory Analysis and Statistical Services Department, CFTRI, for
his invaluable help in the statistical analysis of the experimental data.
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