Pond scum as health food?

The microscopic plants or algae that abound in ponds, lakes, oceans and salt lakes produce a wide range of biologically active compounds that may have applications as new pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements.

The Algae Research Laboratory based at Murdoch University has been developing commercial applications of algae.

"Our main focus is on carotenoids which are valuable antioxidants for human and animal health and on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids as human nutritional supplements," said Laboratory Head, Associate Professor Michael Borowitzka.

"The algae are the best natural source of these valuable chemicals".

Western Australia has the largest algae production plant in the world operated by Cognis at Hutt Lagoon north of Geraldton.

This plant produces beta-carotene from the green microalgae Dunaliella salina, and the process is based in part on research conducted at Murdoch University.

Professor Borowitzka and research student Janet Howieson are currently working on a commercial process for producing the carotenoid astaxanthin from the algae Haematococcus pluvialis.

Astaxanthin is used both as a natural food additive for prawns and salmon to give the red colour and as an antioxidant for use in human nutrition.

The process developed at Murdoch is more efficient than the current methodology used in Europe and the USA for producing astaxanthin from Haematococcus.

Algal Biotechnology is one of the most exciting areas of biotechnology using the potential of the biodiversity of our waterbodies.

"Recent discoveries of anti-cancer and anti-viral substances in microalgae and very promising and our research into commercial scale culture systems for these algae will help to provide the means for commercialising these new discoveries," said Professor Borowitzka.