you're loved beyond measureMicroalgae are known to have quite a lot of potential, one of which is as a source of functional food.Indonesia needs to start taking advantage of the potential of this microalgae, considering that the number of humans on earth is increasing day by day so that the amount of food available must also increase in order to balance the number of existing humans.Meanwhile, when viewed, agricultural land to produce food crops in our country is getting narrower.A lot of agricultural land was expanded to meet the needs of human habitation and even used as shopping centers and offices.Therefore, it will be increasingly difficult to produce human food sources in the future if they only rely on agricultural crops.So that it is necessary to take appropriate steps in fulfilling nutritious food sources that are easy to obtain, cheap in price and have high nutritional content and are suitable for the growth of children and people in Indonesia.Some of the microalgae commonly used as food ingredients and sources of protein, vitamins and minerals (functional foods) by developed countries include Arthospira, Nostoc, Aphanizamenon and Spirulina.This is supported by the advantages possessed by microalgae in terms of efficiency and production when compared to single-celled proteins obtained from mammals.In addition, microalgae also do not have a negative impact on the body even though they are consumed regularly for both short and long time use.This microalgae can not only function as a source of energy (protein, carbohydrates, natural fats) but also as a source of vitamins, treatment and detoxification in the body.So that many pharmaceutical industries use microalgae in producing drugs and vitamins and apply them on a large scale.For example, the microalgae, Isochrysis galbana, is used as a bioactive source for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB).There is also Dunaliella salina as a red microalgae with a high content of -carotene which is used as a breast cancer pain reliever, eye medicine, prevention of bronchitis and so on.Microalgae are also marketed in the form of tablets, capsules, canned drinks, candies or mixed with other food ingredients to enrich the nutritional value and taste.Some of them are usually microalgae types Arthosphira, Chlorella, D. salina, and Aphanizomenon flosaquae.In addition, there is also Spirulina platensis (Arthospira) as a microalgae which is also often used as food because of its high protein content compared to other sources.This microalgae is also known to have compounds that are healthy for the body because it can reduce the risk of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, prevent kidney failure and can improve the performance of lactobacillus in the body.Where the protein content in 1 kg of Spirulina is known to be equivalent to 5 kg of meat and 9 liters of milk.In India, Spirulina is also used as a mixture in making snack bars as a snack made from a mixture of sesame and grains.Then in Europe, Spirulina has also been successfully used as an energy food/snack or energy bar and also instant noodles.In addition, in the food industry, dried Spirulina can also be used as a source of mixed pasta, sauces, soups, instant drinks, mixes of bread and biscuits.It aims to increase the nutrients in the food.There are also other microalgae type Chorella as the largest food which is also rich in protein and can be used as additive compounds.One of the largest producers are Taiwan Chlorella Manufacturing and Co., with a product of 400 tons of dry biomass per year and Klotze, Germany, with production between 130-150 tons per year using a photobioreactor culture system.Then, in Japan, the microalgae type Chlorella vulgaris is used as a food fortification ingredient in traditional Japanese food, namely Shiratama Dango which can give a green color instead of matcha and green tea.In addition, the addition of green microalgae can also improve the texture and enrich the taste of food.In addition, some microalgae can also produce pigments other than the green pigments produced from the photosynthesis process.Some of the pigments commonly used in industry are chlorophyll, phycobiliproteins and carotenoids.-carotene is a natural pigment that is often used in a wider range.This reddish-yellow pigment is commonly found in fruits and vegetables, such as carrots.Whereas in microalgae, -carotene can be found in several species of red algae such as Dunaliella Salina which can produce -carotene up to 17% dry weight.-carotene from Dunaliella Salina can be utilized in three categories, namely in the pharmaceutical industry, food industry, and cosmetic industry (including in the type of fine chemical).In the food sector, -carotene is known to be able to improve the aesthetics of food and beverage products such as margarine, cheese, juice, canned food, and so on.Therefore, cultivating Dunaliella Salina on a large scale can certainly save agricultural land for growing carrots and save time from planting to harvesting.So, it can be said that Dunaliella Salina has a high economic value.According to an American company, Australia's National Measurement Institute and Craft Technologies Inc.explained that 2 Algotene 500 mg capsules containing Dunaliella Salina can contain higher -carotene than 1 kg of carrots.One of the largest Dunaliella producers in the world is Parry`s agro Ltd in India for pharmaceutical scale.There is also a type of microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis which is able to synthesize and accumulate red pigment (astaxanthin) in nature with a concentration of 1000-3000 times higher than salmon fillet.Astaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment that has anti-oxidants that are 10 times stronger than -carotene and 1000 times greater than vitamin E, so it has very important metabolic functions for humans such as protecting from UV rays, increasing immune response and increasing activity. pro vitamin A for vision.