Arthrospira platensis (Gomont) Geitler · Cyanobacteria · Whole Dried Biomass
Spirulina is not a plant — it is a cyanobacterium, and that changes what a specification must control. Every batch is tested for microcystins by LC-MS/MS, the contamination risk specific to open-pond cyanobacterial culture, with phycocyanin colour value declared for buyers using it as a natural blue. Protein NLT 60%. CoA-backed supply from India.
Microcystin Tested
Phycocyanin Colour Value DeclaredA bacterium grown in open water — which decides the whole specification
Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is not a plant, not an algae in the botanical sense, and not a herb. It is a cyanobacterium — a photosynthetic bacterium — grown in alkaline water and harvested as whole dried biomass. Almost everything unusual about buying it follows from that single fact.
It is cultivated in open ponds or closed photobioreactors, and open-pond culture is exposed to whatever else arrives in the water. The specific hazard is contamination by other cyanobacteria — Microcystis above all — which produce microcystins, a family of hepatotoxins. Spirulina itself does not produce them; a contaminated pond does. This is the reason a spirulina specification needs a control no herbal extract needs, and why every batch we supply is tested for microcystins by LC-MS/MS.
The second thing to settle is which product you are buying. Whole spirulina powder is a nutritional biomass — protein typically 60% or above, plus chlorophyll, carotenoids and minerals. Phycocyanin extract is a purified blue pigment-protein isolated from that biomass, bought largely as a natural blue colour and specified on colour value (commonly quoted as E18) rather than on nutrition. They are different products with different prices and different specifications.
Phycocyanin also brings a genuine handling constraint: it is a protein, and proteins denature. It is sensitive to heat, light and low pH, which means a natural blue that looks perfect in the lab can fade in a hot-filled or acidic product. That is a formulation reality to design around rather than a quality defect.
A nutritional biomass and a pigment-protein — two products, two specifications
The blue pigment-protein, and the basis of the extract grade. Specified by colour value (E18) or concentration. Being a protein, it is heat-, light- and pH-sensitive.
Spirulina biomass is protein-rich — typically NLT 60% — which is the principal basis for the whole-powder grade.
A contaminant, not a constituent. Hepatotoxins from contaminating Microcystis, not produced by spirulina itself. Tested by LC-MS/MS every batch.
The green and orange pigment fractions accompanying phycocyanin in whole biomass, contributing to its deep blue-green colour.
A fatty acid present in spirulina biomass and sometimes reported where a buyer specification calls for it.
Iron and other minerals from the culture medium — the reason ash runs high and heavy metals must be controlled.
Why a spirulina specification needs controls no herbal extract does
The control specific to cyanobacterial culture. Open ponds can be contaminated by microcystin-producing Microcystis, so every batch is tested — not as a formality but as the defining safety parameter.
Buyers using spirulina as a natural blue need colour strength, not nutrition. We declare colour value (E18) so a food-colour buyer can specify what actually matters to them.
The whole-biomass basis. Spirulina is among the most protein-dense ingredients available, which underpins its superfood and nutrition positioning.
Open pond or closed photobioreactor, declared per batch. It is the variable that drives contamination risk, so it belongs on the certificate rather than in a sales conversation.
Whole powder for nutrition, purified phycocyanin for colour. Different products, different specifications — we state which you are receiving.
Phycocyanin and the carotenoid fraction support antioxidant positioning, and the vivid natural colour is itself a formulation asset in clean-label systems.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Nutrition or colour — two different products from the same biomass
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirulina Powder Nutrition | Protein NLT 60%; microcystin tested; whole biomass | Deep blue-green fine powder, ≥95% through 40 mesh | Supplements, greens blends, superfood powders | Dispersible |
| Spirulina Powder Organic Organic | Certified organic; protein and microcystin to specification | Deep blue-green fine powder | Certified-organic finished products | Dispersible |
| Phycocyanin Extract E18 Colour | Colour value E18 declared; microcystin tested | Bright blue fine powder | Natural blue colour — confectionery, beverages, dairy | Water-soluble |
| Phycocyanin High Colour Value High colour | Colour value above E18 to buyer specification | Vivid blue fine powder | Demanding colour applications, low inclusion | Water-soluble |
| Spirulina Tablets / Granules Format | Protein and microcystin to specification | Deep blue-green tablets or granules | Direct-to-consumer tablet formats | — |
Spirulina powder and phycocyanin extract are different products. The powder is a nutritional biomass specified on protein; phycocyanin is a purified pigment-protein specified on colour value and bought as a natural blue, at a substantially higher price. Quoting one against the other's specification produces a number that looks wrong because it is. Every grade is tested for microcystins by LC-MS/MS and declares the cultivation method. Note that phycocyanin is a protein and therefore heat-, light- and pH-sensitive — see the applications guide before committing to a hot-filled or acidic format.
Spirulina Extract is bought in five forms. The standardised extract is the stocked item; granulated and dispersible grades are produced on request and raw botanical forms are sourced against a confirmed order.
| Form | What it is | Specification basis | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spray-dried powder | Arthrospira platensis biomass extract, dried and milled | Protein NLT 60%, microcystin tested, whole biomass | Stocked |
| Granulated (direct-compression) | Extract granulated for tablet lines | Same marker, declared on the granule | On request |
| Water-dispersible / soluble | Extract in a dispersible matrix for beverages, gummies and sachets | Marker declared on the matrix basis; carrier named | On request |
| Organic-certified powder | Same product from certified-organic cultivation | Transaction certificate per lot | On request |
| Tablets / compressed forms | Powder compressed without excipient | Weight per tablet; friability | On enquiry via contract fillers, quoted separately |
A marker percentage without its assay method is not a specification; ask for the method and the plant part on every quotation. Read Spirulina and Phycocyanin: A Complete Buyer's Guide, Phycocyanin, Colour Value and How Spirulina Is Specified and Microcystins in Spirulina: The Risk, and How It Is Actually Controlled before comparing offers.
Full product specification for Spirulina Powder, protein 60%. Values are specification limits, not batch results; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Organism | Arthrospira platensis (Gomont) Geitler | — |
| Classification | Cyanobacteria — a bacterium, not a plant | — |
| Part Used | Whole dried biomass | — |
| Cultivation Method | Open pond / photobioreactor — declared per batch | Declaration |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Appearance | Fine powder | Organoleptic |
| Colour | Deep blue-green* | Organoleptic |
| Odour | Characteristic, marine | Organoleptic |
| Taste | Characteristic | Organoleptic |
| Identification | Corresponds to reference — positive | Microscopy / HPLC |
| Protein (% w/w, dry basis) | NLT 60.0 | Kjeldahl |
| Phycocyanin (% w/w) | Reported per batch | By UV |
| Phycocyanin Colour Value (extract grades) | E18 or to buyer specification | By UV |
| Microcystins (µg/kg) | NMT 1,000 — tested every batch | By LC-MS/MS |
| Loss on Drying (at 105°C, % w/w) | NMT 7.0 | IP-2014 |
| pH (1% w/v solution) | 6 – 8 | IP-2014 |
| Bulk Density (g/ml) | NLT 0.40 | IP-2014 |
| Particle Size (#40 mesh, % w/w) | NLT 95 | Sieve |
| Total Ash (% w/w) | NMT 10 (mineral-rich — see note) | IP-2014 |
| Acid Insoluble Ash (% w/w) | NMT 1 | IP-2014 |
| Lead (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Arsenic (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Cadmium (ppm) | NMT 0.3 | ICP-MS |
| Mercury (ppm) | NMT 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pesticide Residues | Complies (EU MRL, on request) | GC-MS / LC-MS/MS |
| Ethylene Oxide (ETO) | Not treated — declaration provided | LC-MS/MS (on request) |
| Irradiation | Not irradiated — declaration provided | Declaration |
| Total Plate Count (cfu/g) | NMT 10,000 | USP <2021> |
| Yeast & Moulds / Fungi (cfu/g) | NMT 500 | USP <2021> |
| Escherichia coli | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Salmonella sp. | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| Shelf Life | 24 months from date of manufacture, in original packed condition | — |
| Storage | Cool, dry place away from light and moisture, in tightly sealed containers | — |
*The microcystin line is the defining control on this ingredient. Spirulina is a cyanobacterium grown in open water, and open ponds can be colonised by other cyanobacteria — notably Microcystis — which produce microcystins, a family of hepatotoxins. Spirulina itself does not produce them; contamination does. We test every batch by LC-MS/MS and state the figure rather than writing "complies", and we declare the cultivation method because it drives the risk. Note also that total ash runs high — spirulina is grown in a mineral-rich alkaline medium and is genuinely mineral-dense — so acid-insoluble ash is the more informative figure and a generic botanical ash limit will reject good material. Shelf life is 24 months rather than our usual 36, reflecting phycocyanin's sensitivity as a protein. A current Certificate of Analysis and MSDS are issued with every batch.
From pond to biomass — microcystin-tested, cultivation-declared, documented
Cultivation & the Contamination Question: Spirulina is a cyanobacterium cultivated in alkaline water, in open ponds or closed photobioreactors. Open-pond culture is more economical and is how most commercial spirulina is grown — but it is exposed to colonisation by other cyanobacteria, including microcystin-producing Microcystis. We declare the cultivation method on every batch because it is the variable that drives the risk, and we test the outcome rather than relying on the method alone.
Manufacturing & Testing: Each batch runs through a full QC battery — microcystins by LC-MS/MS, protein by Kjeldahl, phycocyanin by UV with colour value for extract grades, identity by microscopy and HPLC, loss on drying, pH, bulk density, ash and acid-insoluble ash, mesh, heavy metals by ICP-MS, pesticide residue screening, and a complete microbiological panel — before release.
Documentation: Every shipment is supplied against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis stating the microcystin figure, the cultivation method, protein and phycocyanin, with an MSDS. Halal, Kosher and Organic certification are available, along with non-irradiation and non-ETO declarations — see our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements.
What backs every batch of Spirulina extract
Key information for global product registration and labelling
This is the parameter that distinguishes a spirulina specification from a botanical one, and it should not be treated as routine. Spirulina is a cyanobacterium grown in open water, and ponds can be colonised by other cyanobacteria — Microcystis in particular — which produce microcystins, a family of hepatotoxins. Spirulina itself does not produce them; contamination does. Several markets apply limits to microcystins in cyanobacterial food supplements, and a specification that omits the parameter is not controlling the ingredient's principal risk. We test every batch by LC-MS/MS and state the measured figure, because a compliance position cannot be built on the word "complies".
Phycocyanin is used widely as a natural blue colour, and colour applications sit under food-colour rules that differ from supplement rules and vary substantially by market — permitted uses, maximum levels and labelling all differ by jurisdiction and by food category. A buyer moving spirulina from a supplement application into a food-colour application should confirm the position for each market rather than assuming the supplement clearance carries across. We supply the colour value and full documentation to support that assessment.
Spirulina is protein-dense and widely used in vegan and plant-nutrition positioning. Two points of accuracy worth holding: it is a cyanobacterium rather than a plant or an algae in the botanical sense, which occasionally matters for labelling language; and claims commonly made about vitamin B12 in spirulina are contested in the scientific literature, since much of what is measured is regarded as an analogue rather than a bioavailable form. We would rather flag that than let a B12 claim rest on our specification. Buyers remain responsible for compliance in their market.
Deep-dive articles on spirulina for formulators, buyers, and brand owners
Nutrition or colour, open pond or closed — and the one test that decides everything.
TechnicalHow E18 works, why phycocyanin is a protein, and what that means for your specification.
QualityThe contamination risk unique to cyanobacterial culture, and how it is actually controlled.
ApplicationsSuperfood powders and natural blue — plus the heat, light and pH limits on phycocyanin.
ProcurementA scored checklist dominated by one capability: LC-MS/MS microcystin testing.
MarketHow natural-blue demand created a premium segment inside a commodity superfood.
Frequently co-formulated with Spirulina in greens, protein & superfood blends
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Spirulina powder and phycocyanin extract with microcystins tested by LC-MS/MS on every batch, cultivation declared and colour value stated. Samples available for qualified buyers.
Supplied as a bulk ingredient for further manufacture. Buyers are responsible for compliance with the regulations of their destination market. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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