The Bioavailability of Phycocyanin in Human Nutrition
- Phycocyanin content is best treated as a system property — cultivation, drying and handling together — not a single spec-sheet number.
- A high A620/A280 ratio signals a cleaner, more potent phycocyanin fraction with fewer co-extracted proteins.
- Phycocyanin is heat- and light-sensitive, so processing gentleness determines how much reaches the finished ingredient intact.
What Purity Really Measures
Phycocyanin is the pigment-protein complex that gives spirulina its deep blue-green colour, and it is increasingly the reason formulators reach for the ingredient in the first place. Understanding how much of it actually survives digestion — and in what form — matters more than the headline percentage on a spec sheet.
Purity is the first variable. A high A620/A280 ratio indicates a cleaner phycocyanin fraction with fewer co-extracted proteins, which affects both colour strength and how the compound behaves once formulated.
Why Processing Is the Second Variable
Processing is the second. Phycocyanin is heat- and light-sensitive, so the gentleness of drying and downstream handling determines how much intact pigment reaches the finished product rather than degrading along the way.
The Formulator's Takeaway
The practical takeaway for formulators is to treat phycocyanin content as a system property — cultivation, drying and handling together — rather than a single number measured once at release.
What does the A620/A280 ratio measure?
It's a purity ratio for phycocyanin extracts — a higher value indicates fewer co-extracted proteins and a cleaner, more potent pigment fraction.
Does drying affect phycocyanin content?
Yes. Phycocyanin is heat- and light-sensitive, so low-impact, low-temperature drying preserves substantially more intact pigment than harsh, high-heat methods.
