ABSTRACT
Spirulina Turpin is a genus of blue-green algae belonging to the family Oscillatoriaceae of the division Cyanophyta.1 There are numerous species, and the commercially available products are ordinarily not identified as to source. However, Switzer notes that two species are currently utilized: Spirulina maxima, cultivated in Mexico, and S. platensis, cultivated in Thailand and California.2 New spirulina production facilities have recently been established in Hawaii, India, and China. In 1996, the California operation of Earthrise Farms, a division of Dainippon Ink & Chemicals, produced nearly 500 metric tons of an estimated 2,400 metric tons produced worldwide.3
