Reference

Spirulina glossary.

The terms that show up on labels, in studies, and in Certificates of Analysis — translated into plain English.

Arthrospira platensis: The scientific name of the cyanobacterium most commonly sold as “spirulina.” The less-common Arthrospira maximais the second commercial species. Despite the nickname “blue-green algae,” spirulina is technically a bacterium, not a plant.
Phycocyanin: The vivid blue pigment that gives spirulina its colour and most of its more interesting bioactivity. Heat- and light-sensitive — the percentage on a Certificate of Analysis is the single best signal of freshness and gentle processing. Above 18% is premium, under 10% suggests stale or over-heated product.
Microcystin: A family of liver-toxic peptides produced by some cyanobacteria that can co-grow with spirulina if cultivation is poorly controlled. Well-tested commercial spirulina has microcystins below detection limits. The bar to clear is “not detected”, not “within tolerable daily intake.”
BMAA: β-methylamino-L-alanine — a non-proteinogenic amino acid produced by some cyanobacteria, suspected (controversially) of links to neurodegenerative disease. More relevant for wild-harvested products than for well-controlled commercial cultivation. Reputable producers test for it.
Heavy metals: Lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. The four metals of regulatory concern in any consumed algae product. A Certificate of Analysis should report these in mg/kg or μg/g, not as a binary “pass.”
Certificate of Analysis (CoA): The lab test report for a specific batch of product. A reputable CoA is recent (within 12 months), batch-identified (matches what you can buy), and from an accredited third-party lab. Producer self-tests have very limited regulatory weight.
Phenylalanine: An essential amino acid present in all complete proteins, including spirulina (~4% by dry weight). The reason people with phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot take spirulina at any dose.
Non-haem iron: Iron from plant or microbial sources (as opposed to haem iron from animal flesh). Lower baseline absorption, but the gap closes substantially when consumed with vitamin C. Spirulina’s iron is non-haem.
Spray-drying: The most common drying method for commercial spirulina. The wet biomass is sprayed into a chamber of hot air; the water flashes off and dry powder collects below. Quick, uniform, and acceptable when temperatures are well-controlled — but tough on heat-sensitive compounds compared with vacuum or low-temperature drying.
Phycobiliprotein: The category of light-harvesting proteins in cyanobacteria that includes phycocyanin and allophycocyanin. The reason spirulina is blue-green where most plants are simply green.
Tecuitlatl: The Aztec name for spirulina, eaten as cakes harvested from Lake Texcoco in 16th-century Mexico — recorded by Spanish chroniclers and confirmed by modern analyses to be Arthrospira maxima. The earliest documented commercial-scale human consumption.
Dihé: The Kanembu name for spirulina cakes traditionally harvested from Lake Chad, where local women have been collecting and selling spirulina for centuries. Sold dried as small flat cakes used in stews and sauces.
Phycobilisome: The protein complex in spirulina cells that holds phycocyanin and other phycobiliproteins. When spirulina is dried gently, phycobilisomes stay largely intact; harsher drying breaks them and the colour shifts toward brown.
Open-pond cultivation: The dominant commercial growing method: shallow paddle-wheel-stirred ponds, usually outdoors. Cheap and scales well; depends on local sunshine and weather. Hawaii, Taiwan, Inner Mongolia, and India dominate this category.
Photobioreactor (PBR): Closed-system cultivation: tubes, panels, or columns of clear material through which spirulina culture circulates. Higher cost, higher quality control, smaller scale. Mostly European and Indian premium producers.
Pseudocobalamin: The biologically inactive vitamin-B12 analog that spirulina does contain. Despite marketing, it does not provide bioavailable B12 to humans and may even compete with real B12 for absorption. Vegans should source B12 elsewhere.
GRAS: “Generally Recognised As Safe” — a US FDA designation. Spirulina is GRAS for food use in the US, which is why you see it as a colouring or supplement ingredient in so many products. Different from EU Novel Food rules, which spirulina pre-dates.
Allophycocyanin: A second light-harvesting pigment in spirulina, sister to phycocyanin. Both are extracted for food colouring and cosmetic applications. Less commonly mentioned on product labels but quantified on serious CoAs.

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