Sustainable Production and Multidisciplinary Applications of Phycocyanin: A Systematic Review

Phycocyanin holds significant promise across diverse scientific and industrial fields due to its bioactive properties. This systematic review employs PRISMA meta-analysis methodology to critically analyze recent advances in phycocyanin production, with the dual objectives of optimizing yield and purity, while examining its multidisciplinary applications in life sciences. A total of 252 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 were selected from leading databases. This study reveals that phycocyanin production efficiency heavily depends on optimized extraction and purification protocols to achieve maximal purity and functional quality. The multidisciplinary impacts of phycocyanin span key sectors such as food and nutrition, pharmaceuticals and medicine, cosmetics, environmental biotechnology, and analytical diagnostics. Despite these promising applications, several challenges persist, including low production yield and high cost, chemical and physical instability, purity requirement for applications as well as extraction and cultivation limitation. This review proposes strategic recommendations, including advancements in sustainable cultivation, innovative purification techniques, and promotes sustainability and cost-effectiveness. The study underscores the critical need for integrative, cross-disciplinary approaches to fully harness the potential of phycocyanin, promoting its role as a sustainable bio resource with broad life science and industrial relevance.