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International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences Review Article
Nutritional analysis of Azolla and its potential as a protein supplement for human consumption: A Review
Aniketh Pinnada and Apurva Kumar R Joshi
Year : 2025 | Volume: 10 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 148-158
Received on: 19/09/2025
Revised on: 28/09/2025
Accepted on: 27/10/2025
Published on: 01/11/2025
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Aniketh Pinnada and Apurva Kumar R Joshi( 2025).
Nutritional analysis of Azolla and its potential as a protein supplement for human consumption: A Review
. International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 10( 6), 148-158.
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Abstract
Proteins are essential for numerous physiological processes. While traditional animal-derived proteins are nutritionally superior, their production has significant environmental burdens. Plant-based alternatives, though more sustainable, face challenges such as incomplete amino acid profiles, poor digestibility, and undesirable sensory attributes. Azolla, a fast-growing aquatic fern that is symbiotically associated with nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, has emerged as a potential sustainable protein source. This review explores the nutritional profile, digestibility, and amino acid composition of four Azolla species commonly found in India. Crude protein levels ranged from 19% to 42%, with promising essential amino acid content. The review also compares Azolla’s potential with existing plant protein supplements such as soy, pea, chickpea, and potato, highlighting both benefits and limitations. Notably, Azolla has demonstrated efficacy as an economical feed supplement in poultry, livestock, and aquaculture sectors, improving growth performance and reducing production costs. Preliminary studies on Azolla protein hydrolysates suggest favourable digestibility and bioactivity, including antioxidant and antihypertensive effects, however its direct application in human nutrition remains underexplored.
Keywords
Azolla, Plant proteins, Protein energy malnutrition, Protein hydrolysates.
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© The Author(s) 2025. This article is published by International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
