The highly nutritious microalga spirulina is stepping out of research and development labs and onto Canarian shelves thanks to Gran Canaria–based company La Isleña. The firm is launching a pasta range made with spirulina cultivated right here in the Canary Islands.
The move comes after the brand signed a collaboration and technology-transfer agreement with the Canary Islands Technological Institute (ITC), the regional government’s public R&D centre specialising in applied research, blue biotechnology, and marine plant aquaculture.
This new line from La Isleña, a 155-year-old Canarian food company, speaks directly to the growing appetite for healthier, more sustainable, locally sourced food. It also underlines the brand’s commitment to innovation in the Canary Islands and to the region’s future.
The company will incorporate Canary-grown spirulina not only into its pasta but also into other products in its portfolio. The spirulina strain used is native to the region, adapted to a saline rather than a freshwater environment. This particular cultivation method, developed by the ITC, has already received international recognition.
As far as the ITC is concerned, La Isleña’s initiative serves as ‘an example of how innovation and technology can help boost local industry,’ notes Guayarmina Peña, CEO of the public institute.
