Purple red alga

The purple red algae (Porphyridium cruentum) is a unicellular, purple-colored microalgae. It protects itself against moisture loss, salt stress and UV radiation by producing a mucus-like gel capsule. Prophyridium cruentum is used industrially, pharmaceutically and cosmetically.

Porphyridium cruentum forms black-red to carmine-red, to plate-sized and membrane-mucilaginous jelly deposits. The individual cells are 7 to 12 micrometers in size, spherical to polygonal and brown-red to red. They form carbohydrates (florid starch). The chloroplasts are stained red by carotenoids.

Extracts from the purple micro algae are used in so-called algae cosmetics because of their skin-protecting properties.