Pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment was evaluated for phycocyanin and proteins extraction from Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis). PEF extractions were performed using different specific energies (28, 56 and 122 J center dot ml(-1) of suspension) and the results were compared to the extraction with bead milling. At highest PEFtreatment energies a damage of the cell morphology could be observed and the highest yields (up to 85.2 +/- 5.7 mg center dot g(-1) and 48.4 +/- 4.4 g center dot 100 g(-1) of phycocyanins and proteins, respectively) could be obtained at 122 and 56 J center dot ml(-1). The yields increased with incubation time after PEF-treatment. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts obtained after PEF-treatment was higher than of those obtained after bead milling. PEF treatment is a promising technology to obtain blue-green antioxidant extracts from A. platensis in an environmental friendly process.