Table 1: Analytical chemical and nutritional composition of Spirulina platensis#

Constituent / Amount / Unite
Moisture / 4-9 / % DM
Crude protein / 60-70 / % DM
Fat (Mojonnier extraction) / 4-16 / % DM
Crude fiber / 3-7 / % DM
Mineral matter / 3-11 / % DM
Carbohydrate (total) / 14-19 / % DM
Minerals
Calcium / 1200 / mg/kg
Total phosphorus / 13000 / mg/kg
Magnesium / 3300 / mg/kg
Potassium / 26000 / mg/kg
Sodium / 22000 / mg/kg
Fatty acids
Palmitic (16:0) / 25.8-44.9 / % of total fatty acids
Palitoleic(16:1 omega-6) / 2.3-3.8 / % of total fatty acids
Stearic (18:0) / 1.7-2.2 / % of total fatty acids
Oleic (18:1 omega-6) / 10.1-16.6 / % of total fatty acids
Linoleic (18:2 omega-6) / 11.1-12.0 / % of total fatty acids
Gamma-linoleic (18:3 omega-6) / 17.1-40.1 / % of total fatty acids
Vitamins/Carotenoids
β-Carotene / 140000 / μg/100g
Total carotenoids / 1700 / mg/kg
Provitamin A / 2330000 / IU/kg
Thiamine (B1) / 34-50 / mg/kg
B2 / 30-46 / mg/kg
Niacin (B3) / 130-150 / mg/kg
B6 / 5-8 / mg/kg
B12 / 1.5-2.0 / mg/kg
Foliate / 0.50 / mg/kg
Amino acids
Aspartate / 5.20-6.00 / % DM
Glutamate / 7.04-7.30 / % DM
Tyrosine / 2.60-3.42 / % DM
Methionine / 1.30-2.75 / % DM
Leucine / 5.90-8.37 / % DM
Phenylalanine / 2.60-4.10 / % DM
Lysine / 2.60-4.63 / % DM

# Adopted from Sanchez et al. (2003), Pascaud (1993), Badadzhanov et al. (2004), Mata et al. (2010) and Alvarenga et al. (2011) (Alvarenga et al. 2011, Babadzhanov et al. 2004, Mata et al. 2010, Pascaud 1993, Sanchez et al. 2003).

DM; dry matter

Table 2: Ingredients and chemical analysis (% based on dry matter) of the experimental diets.

Ingredients / Percentage (%)
Yellow corn / 29
Soybean meal / 20.5
Fish meal / 26
Corn gluten meal / 2
Wheat bran / 9
Egyptian clover meal / 7.2
Cod liver oil / 3
gelatin / 2
Vitamin mixture / 0.5
Mineral mixture / 0.5
Salt / 0.3
Chemical analysis
Crude protein % / 31.78
Ether Extract % / 7.15
Ash % / 8.14

Trace minerals & vitamins premixes were prepared to cover the levels of the microminerals &vitamins for tilapia fish as recommended by (NRC, 1993).Vitamins premix (IU or mg/kg diet); vit. A 5000, Vit. D3 1000, vit. E 20, vit. k3 2, vit. B1 2, vit. B2 5, vit. B6 1.5, vit. B12 0.02, Pantothenic acid 10, Folic acid 1, Biotin 0.15, Niacid 30. Mineral mixture (mg/kg diet); Fe 40, Mn 80, Cu 4, Zn 50, I 0.5, Co 0.2 & Se 0.2.

Supplementary material references

Alvarenga RR, Rodrigues PB, Cantarelli VS, Zangeronimo MG, Júnior JWS, Silva LR, Santos LM, Pereira LJ (2011): Energy values and chemical composition of spirulina (Spirulina platensis) evaluated with broilers. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia 40, 992-996

Babadzhanov AS, Abdusamatova N, Yusupova FM, Faizullaeva N, Mezhlumyan LG, Malikova MK (2004): Chemical composition of Spirulina platensis cultivated in Uzbekistan. Chemistry of Natural Compounds 40, 276–279

Mata TM, Martins AA, Caetano NS (2010): Microalgae for biodiesel production and other applications:a review. enewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 14, 217-232

Pascaud M (1993): The essential polyunsaturated fatty acids of Spirulina and our immune response. Bulletin de l’Institut Oceanographique 12, 49-57

Sanchez M, Bernal-Castillo J, Rozo C, Rodriguez I (2003): Spirulina (Arthrospira): an edible microorganism – a review. Universityas Scientiarum 8, 7–24