We often get asked whether our Hawaiian Spirulina is organic and if not
, whether we can source some for our customers. Unfortunately there is no such thing as organic Hawaiian Spirulina anymore. There is only one company (Cyanotech) that manufactures spirulina in Hawaii and their spirulina hasnt been certified organic since 2005 when the US National Organic Standards Board changed the requirements for organic spirulina certification. In 2005 the Board ruled out the use of Chilean nitrate in organic production. This nitrate is an organic material that is water soluble and has been widely used for microalgae production. However, as it is mined and not grown, it is regarded as non-sustainable and has fallen foul of the new regulations. The two North American spirulina manufacturers (Cyanotech and the California based Earthwise) both decided that it was not economically feasible to comply with the certification changes and gave up their organic certification.
Despite this, Hawaiian Spirulina is still widely (and incorrectly) advertised as being organic even though it no longer is. However, it still remains an excellent source for spirulina. If youre looking for an organic alternative, please check out the Rainforest Foods organic spirulina powder.