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Potential Toxicity
Aphanizomenon flos-aquae as a species has both toxic and non-toxic forms.While benefits have been indicated, toxicity has been shown in some strains of the species Aphanizomenon flos-aquae,with cylindrospermopsin and saxitoxins present, and microcystins found contaminating AFA dietary supplements. The World Health Organization's Guidelines For Drinking Water Quality note Anatoxin-a, saxitoxins, and cylindrospermopsins are present in the Aphanizomenon genus. At least one strain of AFA labeled as toxic has been show to have been misclassified. Colony-forming morphology is one of the characteristics of the non-toxic species Aphanizomenon flos-aquae; conversely, toxin-producing species of Aphanizomenon are not known to form colonies. Algologists Li and Carmichael noted colony formation, or lack thereof, and other morphologic distinctions when comparing Aphanizomenon flos-aquae with toxin-producing species of Aphanizomenon. Their genetic comparison of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae to other species in the genus Aphanizomenon indicates dissimilarity between Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and toxin-producing Aphanizomenon species"
Nutritional value
Cyanobacteria are often marketed as a source of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids (including omega 3 fatty acids), beta-carotene, chlorophyll,phycocyanin, active enzymes, amino acids, proteins, complex sugars, phytonutrients, and other bioactive components.
The nutrient content of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae is subject to much variation due to diverse habitats, environmental factors, and harvesting procedures, all of which influence the nutritional value; for example, altitude, temperature, and sun exposure can greatly affect lipid and pigment composition. As more is learned about the components of different cyanobacterial species, growers and harvesters are better able to determine the optimal growth conditions for obtaining optimal yields