Vitamin content of four marine microalgae. Potential use as source of vitamins in nutrition

Abstract

Certain marine microalgae contain water-and lipid-soluble vitamins and can be used as food supplements or food ingredients. A number of vitamins are present in higher concentrations in the microalgae than in conventional foods traditionally considered rich in them. Ingestion of relatively small quantities of microalgae can cover the requirements for some vitamins in animal nutrition, including human nutrition, while supplementing others. Marine microalgae can thus be considered to represent a non-conventional source of vitamins or a vitamin supplement for animal or human nutrition.