An autotroph or primary producer is an organism that produces complex organic compounds using carbon from simple substances such as carbon dioxide, generally using energy from light or inorganic chemical reactions.
As an autotrophic organism, Spirulina is capable of nourishing itself by deriving cell carbon from inorganic carbon dioxide and sunlight, thus producing a form of bioavailable energy.
Spirulina is therefore a producer of organic nutritive compounds from simple inorganic sources such as carbon dioxide, nitrates, oxygen and sunlight. Being an autotroph organism, for the most part, Spirulina is not able to utilize organic materials as a source of food. This is one of the things that often cause confusion when referring to the term “organic” in the context of spirulina.
« Back to Glossary Index