The Hindu : New Delhi News : International symposium on applied phycology

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

International symposium on applied phycology

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: Latest technologies in the mass cultivation and industrial application of algae were discussed at an international symposium on applied phycology and environmental biotechnoloy at Birla Institute of Technology and Science(BITS), Pilani. The outdoor cultivation of spirulina, the second micro algae after Chlorella to be mass cultured and marketed as a food supplement, was also the hot topic debated by the multidisciplinary reserchers who had gathered from various parts of the world.

In his keynote address on “Mass culturing of Spirulina” Avigad Vonshak from Ben-Gurion University, Negev, Israel appreciated the growing interest of researchers in the outdoor cultivation of the micro algae. The protien rich spirulina, (scientifically known as Arthrospira) products are available in the form of spray-dried powder, pills, capsules and different formulated food products for human consumption in Chile, China, India, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and USA mainly for the health food market, he noted.

The three-day symposium, which commenced on Monday, is convened by S.K.Verma and organised by the Biological Sciences Group & the Centre for Desert Development Technologies of BITS, Pilani in collaboration with the Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University (BGU). The participants include expert scientists from various parts of India and also from Israel, France, Italy and USA. “Spirulina is a viable biotechnology and in terms of total biomass traded in the world market it exceeds the one that of Chlorella,” Prof.Vonshak said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail