Spirulina Powder Antioxidant Stability: What a Storage Study Found

Research note: This study measured antioxidant potential in a laboratory test system. It did not measure health outcomes or compare commercial products.

What the researchers tested

Colla and colleagues (2017) stored Spirulina platensis powder at 25°C, 40°C and 50°C in the dark, and also exposed samples to specified ultraviolet or fluorescent light conditions. Antioxidant potential was assessed in a heated lipid-oxidation system.

What they reported

In the 25°C, dark-storage condition, the measured antioxidant potential fell by about half after 50 days. The light-exposure tests also showed declines under the study's particular setups.

What this does not show

These results are specific to the powder, storage conditions and laboratory assay used. They do not establish how quickly all dried Spirulina products change, what happens in other packaging or storage conditions, or whether a change in the assay alters health outcomes. “Antioxidant potential” here means performance in the test system, not an antioxidant effect in a person.

Source

Colla et al. (2017), “Thermal and photo-stability of the antioxidant potential of Spirulina platensis powder.”