Are Cyanotoxins the Only Toxic Compound Potentially Present in Microalgae Supplements? Results from a Study of Ecological and Non-Ecological Products
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2020-08-28
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI
Abstract
Abstract: Food supplements with microalgae are becoming increasingly abundant and can be easily
found anywhere. The most popular products are based on cyanophytes, such as Aphanizomenon
flos-aquae, Arthrospira platensis and Limnospira maxima, or on chlorophytes, such as Chlorella or
Haematoccus. Although they are all advertised as being very beneficial for health, these products
might be harmful because they may contain cyanotoxins and other contaminants, and no information
on production methods or strain origins is usually provided. While legislation on the presence
of microcystins in waters for di erent uses is clear, toxicological analyses are not compulsory for
food supplements, nor for analyzing anatoxins. Given the potential risk of eating contaminated
food, cyanotoxins, heavy metals and the presence of other contaminant organisms were analyzed in
10 microalgae food supplements. Microcystin-LR and anatoxin-a were detected in three analyzed
products, and in both cyanophyte- and chlorophyte-based products. The light microscope study
revealed the presence of di erent potentially harmful microbial contaminants. The ICP (OES) analyses
detected high concentrations of some heavy metals, especially Pb. The results emphasize the need
to promote the better control of food products containing microalgae, and to develop standard
methodologies to analyze cyanotoxins and potential toxic compounds to protect consumer health.