Plant husbandry – Algae culture
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-15
2004-03-02
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Plant husbandry
Algae culture
C435S257100, C435S283100, C119S245000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06698134
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cultivating and consuming fresh Spirulina at home, belonging to a method and an apparatus for cultivating and consuming fresh Spirulina on a small scale (it means in a broad sense any small-scale vessel cultivation except laboratory-scale and plant-scale cultivation).
2. Disclosure of the Prior Art
Spirulina has already been generally acknowledged as “the best nourishing health food for human consumption” all over the world. Many international authoritative organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) etc, have reached a final conclusion on this point. In China, the State Council has placed on “the seventh national five-year plan” the goal to develop Spirulina and supplement nutritive protein for human consumption.
Spirulina is a kind of aquatic organism that has existed for more than three billion years. The present worldwide Spirulina source is very limited. The existing commercially available Spirulina is produced by plant-scale cultivation followed by processing into finished products, such as tablets, capsules, powders and drinks etc., which meet the needs of transportation and storage and are ultimately supplied to consumers. Up till now, the techniques adopted all over the world are plant-scale cultivation followed by commercial processing. The plant-scale cultivation is mainly an open-air scale cultivation utilizing natural conditions, such as sunlight, ambient temperature and timely seasons, after which Spirulina is harvested collectively and subjected to rinse, dehydration, drying, tabletting or filling and then enters the consumption market as commercial end products. However, not only the plant-scale cultivation and commercial processing of Spirulina need huge investments resulting in the high prices of Spirulina products, but also Spirulina loses some of its nutritive ingredients after being dried. Moreover, often due to the defects in the processing techniques, some ingredients deteriorate, resulting in a foreign flavor in the finished products, which is difficult for an ordinary person to accept.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for cultivating and consuming fresh Spirulina at home, to comprehensively utilize the biological characteristics of viable Spirulina, such as absorption of carbon dioxide and release of biological oxygen, and thus to remake the environment and improve the general level of human health.
By changing both the method for producing Spirulina and the method for consuming Spirulina, the present invention enables people to cultivate and consume fresh Spirulina at home, changes high-grade nourishing health foods into daily foods that every one and every family can afford. At the same time, the present invention avoids the damage to the public caused by counterfeit health foods.
The object of the present invention is achieved by the method and the apparatus described bellow:
A method for cultivating and consuming fresh Spirulina at home, comprising species selection of Spirulina for cultivation at home, culture conditions for cultivation at home, cultivation and maintenance method, collection and harvest of viable Spirulina cells, consumption of fresh Spirulina, storage of fresh Spirulina etc., characterized in that:
(1) Species of Spirulina: Spirulina platensis and Spirulina maxima for cultivation at home;
(2) Culture conditions: inorganic compound nutrients and clean fresh water are selected as culture medium; an alkaline resisting, non-toxic apparatus equipped with a light source, a heat source and a stirring means;
(3) Cultivation and maintenance of Spirulina: the culture medium is first dissolved in water, the pH of the solution being 8-11, and then the Spirulina seed is inoculated into the solution, water temperature during the normal cultivation period being 25-40° C.; If there are Spirulina cells adhering to the vessel wall, brushing them off the wall with a brush to impel them to move;
(4) Collection of viable Spirulina: part of Spirulina is collected and harvested by filtration using a fine filter screen, the remaining part is further cultivated; if necessary, old Spirulina and precipitate are removed by using a coarse filter screen;
(5) Consumption of fresh Spirulina: the filtered-out fresh Spirulina is first rinsed with water to remove the remaining culture solution, and then consumed directly after being added to various kinds of drinks or other foods;
(6) Storage of fresh Spirulina: after rinsing with water the fresh Spirulina is directly stored for further use by freezing, or formulated into a paste with cold drinking water and then stored by freezing.
The above-mentioned culture medium comprises the following ingredients (based on 1 liter of culture solution):
K
2
HPO
4
, (Na
2
)HPO
4
or KH
2
PO
4
, NaH
2
PO
4
0.1-1 g/L
NaHCO
3
8-30 g/L
EDTA
0.01-10 g/L
Na
2
CO
3
or K
2
CO
3
0-10 g/L
FeSO
4
.7H
2
O
0.01-1.5 g/L.
In accordance with specific conditions, the culture medium of the present invention may further comprise one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of (based on 1 liter of culture solution):
NaNO
3
or KNO
3
1-6 g/L
ZnSO
4
0-2 mg/L
K
2
SO
4
0-2 g/L
NaSeO
4
0-0.03 mg/L
NaCl or sea salt
0.5-1.5 g/L
CuSO
4
0-0.1 mg/L
Ca(NO
3
)
2
0-0.1 g/L
MoO
2
0-0.05 mg/L
MgSO
4
0.05-0.3 g/L
NH
4
VO
3
0-0.03 mg/L
CaCl
2
0.01-0.1 g/L
K
2
Cr
2
(SO
4
)
4
0-0.1 mg/L
H
3
BO
3
0-5 mg/L
Ni(SO
4
)
2
0-0.1 mg/L
Na
2
WO
4
0-0.05 mg/L
Ti
2
(SO
4
)
3
0-0.1 mg/L
Co(NO
3
)
2
0-0.1 mg/L
MnCl
2
0-3 mg/L.
(I) Preparation of Culture Solution and Inoculation
(1) Providing a clean barrel, and adding an appropriate amount of clean fresh water thereto;
(2) The culture medium is added and mixing is carried out until dissolution; the supernatant is then poured into a culture vessel, and the undissolved portion is dissolved by continuously adding water and then poured into the culture vessel, the procedure is repeated until the culture medium is dissolved completely; if the culture medium is a liquid, it can be poured into the culture vessel directly and mixed with water;
(3) Adding clean water to a predetermined position;
(4) Connecting electricity, aerating to induce flow of the liquid or stirring the liquid to move, and the heating system is started when the temperature is low;
(5) The Spirulina seed prepared beforehand is shaken until the cell mass dispenses, and then poured into the culture vessel; and
(6) Clean fresh water is added until the liquid level reaches the predetermined position;
(II) Cultivation
The optimum temperature for Spirulina growth is 25-37° C., and the initial inoculation is preferably carried out at nightfall,
(1) Outdoor cultivation: Spirulina is a kind of photobiotic organism. It grows well when the light is sufficient; when the sunlight is too strong in Summer, however, it is necessary to shelter from light appropriately, avoiding the too high temperature caused by the too strong sunlight; if the outdoor temperature is above 37° C., sheltering from light, ventilation and cooling are necessary to maintain high growth rate; when the temperature is below 25° C., a heater is started;
(2) Indoor cultivation: if the light is insufficient, the Spirulina output may be on the low side, and the cultivation apparatus should be placed by the window that has a southern exposure, making the bottom of the vessel above the windowsill so as to make use of natural light as much as possible, if necessary, an artificial light source is started to supplement illumination; when the temperature is below 25° C., the heater is started;
(3) If there are many Spirulina cells adhering to the vessel wall, they should be brushed off the wall gently into the liquid by a brush, rendering the Spirulina cells to move again, to increase the transparency of the vessel and the illumination intensity and thus promote the growth of Spirulina;
(III) Harvest and Consumpti
Chen Yinglong
Hu Hongjun
Li Hengguang
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Poon Peter M.
Succeed Hi-Tech Industrialization Scale-up Assemblies Co., Ltd.
Valenti Andrea M.
LandOfFree
Method of cultivating fresh spirulina at home and device... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method of cultivating fresh spirulina at home and device..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of cultivating fresh spirulina at home and device... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3219400