Organic spirulina as a sustainable superfood: a tripartite sustainability assessment of an Italian production case study

Introduction Organic spirulina has emerged as a popular superfood, increasingly valued by consumers seeking foods that reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases and promote health and wellbeing. In this context, our study aimed to provide comprehensive tripartite sustainability assessment of spirulina production within an Italian agri-food business, considering environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Methods Three complementary methodologies were applied to evaluate sustainability performance. The environmental impact was assessed using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with a functional unit of 1 kg of dried organic spirulina. Social wellbeing was analyzed through the SAFA tool, where the organic spirulina enterprise outperformed conventional spirulina production systems against social benchmarks in the Italian/Apulian context. Finally, economic performance was examined using Cost–Benefit Analysis (CBA). Results The LCA revealed a Global Warming Potential of approximately 15 kg CO 2 eq per kilogram of dried organic Spirulina. Social assessment results showed excellent performance (80–100%) in the themes of decent livelihood and human safety and health, and good performance (60–80%) in fair trading practices, labor rights, and equity, outperforming conventional Spirulina production. The economic evaluation demonstrated that revenues (€712,500), gross margin (€332,993), and net income (€110,872) significantly exceeded Italian farm averages. Discussion Overall, the findings highlight organic spirulina as a model of sustainable production within the circular economy, combining environmental responsibility, social wellbeing, and economic viability. This case study provides actionable insights for sustainable functional food innovation in Mediterranean contexts.