Spirulina Extracts Market

Spirulina Extracts Market Summary

Demand for spirulina extracts will rise at a 7.4% CAGR between 2026 and 2036, as food, beverage and supplement brands are replacing petroleum-based blue and green dyes with colours made from the blue-green alga. At this pace, industry value will more than double from USD 123.5 million in 2026 to USD 252 million by 2036.

FMI estimates that spirulina extract sales reached USD 114.9 million in 2025, and the main reason for the rise since then is policy pressure on synthetic colours in the United States, where HHS and the FDA said in April 2025 that they would work with industry to remove six petroleum-based dyes, including Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2, from the food supply by the end of 2026 [1]. This pressure is turning into orders, as Kraft Heinz stated in June 2025 that about 90% of its U.S. sales were already free of FD&C colours and that the rest would be cleared before the end of 2027 [2]. Spirulina extract was the first natural blue colour additive approved for U.S. food use [3], and the FDA issued an order in February 2026 to allow it in human foods generally, although objections pushed that permission back in March 2026 [4] [5]. Sales of spirulina extracts are expected to grow fastest once that wider permission takes effect, while supplement coatings and confectionery will continue to supply the base of demand.

Table 1: Market Size and Forecast for the Spirulina Extracts Market (USD million), 2025-2036

Market size and forecast	Value
2025 market size	USD 114.9 million
Estimated market size in 2026	USD 123.5 million
Projected market size by 2036	USD 252 million
CAGR (2026-2036)	7.4%
Added revenue, 2026 to 2036	USD 128.5 million

Key Market Trends & Insights

• Powder is the leading form with 59.1% of spirulina extract sales in 2026, as dry extract is easy to store and dose.
• Conventional extracts make up 72.9% of the nature category in 2026, well ahead of organic grades.
• With a 71.4% share in 2026, nutraceuticals are the largest application for spirulina extracts.

Regional Highlights

South Korea's 8.7% CAGR is the highest among the profiled countries for 2026 to 2036, with the UK next at 8.3% and Germany at 8.0%. Japan will grow at 7.5%, while the USA trails the list at 7.1%.

Market Evidence

Federal and state deadlines are pushing U.S. food makers into a wave of recipe changes, and each change is opening space for a natural blue. In February 2026, the FDA said products without petroleum-based colours may carry a “no artificial colors” claim even when they contain colours from natural sources, a claim that earlier generally required no added colour at all [6]. Large brands are moving within the same window, as General Mills said in June 2025 that it would remove certified colours from all U.S. cereals and K-12 school foods by summer 2026 and from its full U.S. retail range by the end of 2027 [7]. State law is adding a hard date, as West Virginia’s House Bill 2354, signed on 24 March 2025, bans Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2 and five other dyes from food sold in the state from 1 January 2028 [8]. Demand for spirulina blue in confectionery, cereals and drinks is therefore expected to step up between 2026 and 2028, when most brand pledges and state rules fall due.

Switching a recipe from a synthetic dye to a natural food colour costs far more per unit of colour, which is why the value of this market is growing faster than the number of products it colours. Sensient told investors in October 2025 that its synthetic colour revenue in food and nutraceuticals in the U.S. and selected Latin American markets was about USD 100 million and that the conversion factor to natural colours was roughly 10 to 1 [9]. DIC states that its LINABLUE spirulina extract gives a vivid blue at about 0.01-0.1% of the food, so even a small dose in a large brand can turn into a steady ingredient order [10]. As a result, spending on spirulina extracts will keep rising even where finished-product volumes stay flat, as each converted recipe carries a much higher colour cost.

Each new U.S. approval since 2013 has brought spirulina extract a fresh group of buyers, as the list of permitted foods has grown in stages. The first approval in August 2013, petitioned by Mars, covered only candy and chewing gum [11], and later rules added supplement and drug tablet coatings in August 2015 [12] and drinks, sauces, dips and dairy alternatives in November 2022 [13]. The February 2026 order, filed by GNT USA, would allow general use in human foods and also tightened purity limits, setting lead at 0.2 mg/kg, arsenic at 0.3 mg/kg, mercury at 0.1 mg/kg and a new cadmium limit of 0.3 mg/kg [4]. This stricter purity rule will favour suppliers with controlled cultivation and testing, while the wider list of foods is expected to lift orders from bakery, snacks and cereal makers once the delay is resolved.

Fewer, larger growers are tightening their hold on supply, as they run the algae ponds, dry the spirulina powder and handle extraction in one place. DIC’s U.S. subsidiary Earthrise Nutritionals held an inauguration for its new harvest plant in April 2025, covering about 420,000 m² and using a central control system, robot arms and AI-based growth checks [14]. Sun Chemical, also part of the DIC Group, said in May 2025 that the Southern California site produces its LINABLUE spirulina extract and draws more than half of its cultivation energy from renewable sources [15]. Buyers are expected to favour such vertically linked suppliers during the forecast period, since tighter purity limits and larger brand contracts will reward reliable, traceable biomass.

South Korea, the UK and Germany are pulling ahead, as natural colour rules there are already settled and buyers are upgrading supply. South Korea leads the profiled list at 8.7% CAGR, and GNT opened its first dedicated China office for EXBERRY colours in April 2026, which shows suppliers are building East Asian service capacity close to Korean food and supplement makers [16]. The UK follows at 8.3% and Germany at 8.0%, as Great Britain and the EU both treat pigment preparations made by selective extraction as additive colours [17], while spirulina concentrates made by physical processing are sold as colouring foods without an E-number [18]. Japan is projected at 7.5%, supported by long local use of spirulina blue as a food colour [19]. However, the USA is projected at the slowest listed rate of 7.1%, as the general-food permission for spirulina extract has been delayed indefinitely since March 2026, although U.S. reformulation demand is expected to stay large once that permission takes effect [5].

Table 2: Supporting Industry Indicators for the Spirulina Extracts Market (mixed units), mixed years

Indicator	Data point	Why it matters	Source
Federal dye phase-out target (plan)	Six petroleum-based dyes, incl. Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2, to leave food supply by end of 2026 (announced 22 April 2025)	Sets the main U.S. timeline for switching to natural blue	[1]
First U.S. approval (rule)	Candy and chewing gum, Mars petition; published 13 August 2013, effective 13 September 2013	Start of the approved U.S. market for spirulina blue	[11]
Supplement coatings approval (rule)	Tablet and capsule coatings for dietary supplements and drugs; effective 22 September 2015	Underpins the large Nutraceuticals share	[12]
Beverage approval (rule)	Non-alcoholic drinks and alcoholic drinks under 20% ABV, sauces, dips, dairy alternatives; effective 13 December 2022	Opened drinks, a large colour buyer	[13]
General food use (order)	Foods generally at GMP levels; lead 0.2, arsenic 0.3, mercury 0.1, cadmium 0.3 mg/kg (6 February 2026)	Largest single widening of U.S. demand	[4]
Effective date of general use (status)	Delayed indefinitely as of 20 March 2026 after objections and a hearing request	Holds back new food categories in the USA	[5]
Labelling rule (enforcement policy)	“No artificial colors” allowed for products with only natural-source colours (5 February 2026)	Gives brands a marketing reason to switch	[6]
Brand pledge (target)	Kraft Heinz said about 90% of U.S. net sales were already FD&C-free, with the rest to follow before end of 2027	Shows the size of the remaining conversion pool	[2]
State law (rule)	West Virginia HB 2354 bans seven dyes, incl. Blue No. 1 and 2, statewide from 1 January 2028	Creates a fixed date for recipe changes	[8]
Conversion economics (result)	About USD 100 million synthetic colour revenue; natural conversion factor roughly 10 to 1 (Sensient, Q3 2025)	Explains value growth above volume growth	[9]
Competing natural blue (rule)	Galdieria extract blue approved; effective 26 June 2025	Acid-stable rival may take some drink uses	[20]

Regulatory Status and Approval Timeline Analysis

Spirulina extract has a very different legal standing in each profiled market, which is why the same blue ingredient sells at different speeds by country. In the USA it is a colour additive exempt from certification under 21 CFR 73.530, and its permitted uses grew through rules in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2022 before the February 2026 general-food order [21] [4]. Calculated from the Federal Register dates, about 12.5 years passed between the first effective date (13 September 2013) and the planned 23 March 2026 effective date of general use, and that last step is still on hold [11] [5]. In Great Britain and the EU, the same food-additive regulation defines colours as preparations made by selective extraction of pigments [17], and EU guidance adopted in December 2013 separated such additives from colouring foods made without selective extraction [22]. Suppliers therefore sell spirulina concentrate in Europe as a colouring food, a route that needs no colour approval [18], which is expected to keep European sales growing steadily without U.S.-style approval steps.

Market size relative to conversion demand also points to strong headroom. Using Sensient’s roughly 10-to-1 conversion factor on its own USD 100 million of synthetic colour sales gives about USD 1.0 billion of natural colour value if fully converted (calculated), which is about 8.1 times FMI’s 2026 global spirulina extracts value of USD 123.5 million [9]. This figure covers all natural colours and not only spirulina, yet blue is the hardest shade to replace naturally, and Oterra’s full natural colour revenue of EUR 447 million in FY2024/25 shows the scale of the wider pool [23]. FMI’s forecast adds USD 128.5 million of spirulina extract value between 2026 and 2036 (calculated), and a large part of that gain will depend on the U.S. general-food permission taking effect.

Table 3: Regulatory Status by Market for the Spirulina Extracts Market (status and dates), 2013-2026

Market / item	Status of spirulina blue	Key date or figure	Source
USA - legal basis	Colour additive exempt from certification (21 CFR 73.530)	First rule effective 13 Sep 2013	[11] [21]
USA - supplements	Allowed in tablet and capsule coatings	Effective 22 Sep 2015	[12]
USA - beverages	Allowed in drinks, sauces, dips, dairy alternatives	Effective 13 Dec 2022	[13]
USA - foods generally	Order issued; effective date delayed indefinitely	Order 6 Feb 2026; delay 24 Mar 2026	[4] [5]
Great Britain	Selectively extracted pigments count as additive colours	Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 Annex I	[17]
European Union	Physically processed spirulina concentrate sold as colouring food (no E-number)	Guidance adopted Dec 2013	[22] [18]
Japan	Long used as a food colouring additive	Review published 20 Sep 2024	[19]
Conversion pool (Sensient)	Natural value if Sensient synthetic sales fully converted	About USD 1.0 billion, 8.1x FMI 2026 value	Calculated from [9] and FMI
FMI forecast increment	Added global spirulina extract value, 2026-2036	USD 128.5 million	Calculated from FMI

Analyst Perspective

“Nutraceuticals will hold 71.4% of spirulina extract demand in 2026, but the next leg of growth will come from mainstream foods once the U.S. general-use permission takes effect. Suppliers that pair controlled cultivation with tested, heat- and acid-tolerant grades will win the largest share of those new orders.”

- Nandini Roy Choudhury, Principal Consultant at FMI

How is the Spirulina Extracts Market Segmented?

The spirulina extracts market is split into form, nature, application and region.

By form, the market covers powder, tablet and capsule, and liquid extracts. By nature, it separates conventional and organic extracts. By application, it covers nutraceuticals, food and beverage, animal feed, cosmetics and personal care, and others. Regional coverage spans North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, East Asia, South Asia and Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.

Why Does Powder Lead the Spirulina Extracts Market by Form?

Powder is set to hold 59.1% of market share by form in 2026.

Powder holds 59.1% of the form category in 2026, as buyers can store it longer, dose it precisely and blend it into gums, coatings and drink mixes. The legal definition itself starts from a dry product, since the U.S. rule describes spirulina extract made from a filtered water extract of dried Arthrospira platensis, and the 2015 coating approval refers to a blue powder [12]. Liquid grades are gaining ground because they are easier to pump into large production lines, and Oterra launched liquid versions of its spirulina-based Arctic Blue in July 2026, a colour previously sold only as powder [24]. Tablet and capsule forms remain a smaller route tied to supplement production. Powder will keep the lead through 2036, while liquids are expected to take share in high-volume beverage and dairy plants.

• Powder is expected to stay above half of form demand through the forecast period, starting from 59.1% in 2026.
• In July 2026, Oterra launched pumpable, dust-free liquid versions of its spirulina-based Arctic Blue, grown in Iceland next to a geothermal power plant [24].

Why Do Conventional Extracts Lead the Spirulina Extracts Market by Nature?

Conventional extracts are projected to account for 72.9% of the nature category in 2026.

Conventional extracts account for 72.9% by nature in 2026, as most large food and supplement buyers want reliable colour strength and price rather than an organic claim. Organic spirulina is harder to scale because growers rely on nitrogen feed, and the USDA confirmed in March 2026 that organic spirulina producers follow the same 20% limit on sodium nitrate nitrogen as other organic crops [25]. This rule raises the cost and effort of organic cultivation, which keeps organic extracts in a premium niche. Organic demand will grow among clean-label supplement brands that already buy algae ingredients such as chlorella, while conventional grades will continue to supply most colour orders.

• Conventional extracts are expected to remain close to three-quarters of demand, from a 72.9% share in 2026.
• In March 2026, the USDA proposed removing obsolete spirulina wording from the organic sodium nitrate listing, keeping one 20% nitrogen limit for all crops [25].

Why Do Nutraceuticals Lead the Spirulina Extracts Market by Application?

Nutraceuticals represent 71.4% of the application category in 2026.

Nutraceuticals represent 71.4% of application demand in 2026, as supplement makers use spirulina extract both for its blue colour in tablet and capsule coatings and as a phycocyanin ingredient. The FDA has allowed spirulina extract in coatings for dietary supplement and drug tablets and capsules since September 2015, following a petition by Colorcon [12]. Food and beverage use is the main growth area, as the 2022 rule opened drinks, sauces and dips, and GNT said its EXBERRY blue for drinks works at a pH of 2.6 to 3.4 [26]. Cosmetics and personal care, animal feed and other uses remain smaller. Nutraceuticals will keep the largest share, while food and beverage demand is expected to rise fastest after the general-food permission takes effect.

• Nutraceuticals are expected to hold the largest application share through 2036, starting at 71.4% in 2026.
• In February 2026, GNT said the FDA had expanded spirulina-based blue colours to all foods generally following its petition, with bakery fillings, coatings and decorations among the early targets [3].

What are the Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities in the Spirulina Extracts Market?

The phase-out of petroleum-based dyes is driving demand, while heat and acid sensitivity and a delayed U.S. permission are slowing uptake; tougher, more stable grades for new food categories are the main opportunity.

• Driver: U.S. federal plans, state bans and brand pledges are pushing food makers to replace synthetic blue and green dyes with spirulina-based colour.
• Restraint: Phycocyanin loses colour under heat, light, alcohol and low pH, and the U.S. general-food permission has been delayed indefinitely since March 2026.
• Opportunity: Stabilised extract grades for bakery, cereals and acidic drinks can capture new orders once wider U.S. use takes effect.

Policy is the strongest driver, as federal plans, state rules and brand pledges are all pointing to the same 2026-2028 window. HHS and the FDA said in April 2025 that they would revoke Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B and work with industry to remove six other synthetic dyes by the end of 2026 [1]. Sensient listed a West Virginia school-lunch ban from August 2025, a federal Red No. 3 ban from January 2027 and a West Virginia statewide synthetic colour ban from January 2028 among the rules shaping demand [9]. This cluster of dates will keep reformulation projects active through the early forecast years, with spirulina blue as the default natural replacement for Blue No. 1.

Stability remains the main restraint, as phycocyanin is a protein pigment that fades under heat, light, alcohol and low pH. A 2024 review by DIC researchers in the Journal of the Japan Society of Colour Material noted that high sugar levels help heat stability, antioxidants help light stability and added proteins help pH stability [19]. Competition from other microalgae is also rising, as the FDA approved galdieria extract blue in May 2025 and Givaudan said the acid-stable colour extends use beyond where spirulina can be used [20] [27]. As a result, spirulina extract will face price and share pressure in acidic drinks, while it keeps its lead in confectionery, coatings and dairy.

The largest opportunity lies in the food categories that the February 2026 order would open, such as bakery, snacks and cereals. GNT said spirulina has mainly been used in bakery decorations, fillings and coatings, with more limited use in baked doughs and batters [3]. Suppliers that solve heat stability for these uses will win new contracts once the effective date is set, and the stricter heavy-metal limits in the same order will favour growers with tight quality control [4].

Which Country CAGRs are Profiled in the Spirulina Extracts Market?

Table 4: Country CAGRs for the Spirulina Extracts Market (%), 2026-2036

Country	CAGR, 2026 to 2036
South Korea	8.7%
UK	8.3%
Germany	8.0%
Japan	7.5%
USA	7.1%

How do Country-level CAGRs Compare in the Spirulina Extracts Market?

The five profiled countries fall into two bands. South Korea, the UK and Germany form the faster band at 8.0% to 8.7%, as their colour rules are already settled and buyers are upgrading from older natural blues and synthetic dyes. Japan at 7.5% and the USA at 7.1% form the slower band, since Japan is a mature user of spirulina colour and U.S. growth is waiting on the delayed general-food permission. The spread between the fastest and slowest country is 1.6 percentage points, which shows steady growth everywhere rather than a single breakout market.

• Food and supplement makers in South Korea are adding natural colours while nearby suppliers build service capacity in East Asia, which supports the country's 8.7% CAGR.
• The UK will grow at 8.3% CAGR, as physically processed spirulina concentrate fits the colouring-food route and lets brands switch without a new colour approval.
• Clean-label demand and Europe’s colouring-food rules are supporting steady use in confectionery and dairy across Germany, set to expand at 8.0% CAGR.
• Long use of spirulina blue as a food colour gives Japan a mature but steady base, with growth projected at 7.5% CAGR.
• In the USA, reformulation demand is large, but the general-food permission has been delayed since March 2026, which holds the country to a 7.1% CAGR.

The full report extends spirulina extracts estimates to more than 25 countries and country groups across seven regions.

Country Outlook

• In April 2026, GNT opened its first dedicated China office for EXBERRY colours, which places natural colour service closer to East Asian buyers and supports South Korea's projected 8.7% CAGR [16].
• Great Britain’s retained food-additive regulation treats only selectively extracted pigments as additive colours, which keeps a colouring-food route open for spirulina concentrates in the UK, projected at 8.3% CAGR [17].
• EU member states adopted guidance in December 2013 separating colouring foods from additive colours, which still shapes spirulina labelling in Germany, where sales will grow at 8.0% CAGR [22].
• Japan has a stable base of buyers, as DIC researchers reported in September 2024 that spirulina blue has long been used there as a food colouring additive, and the country is projected at 7.5% CAGR [19].
• The USA is projected at 7.1% CAGR, as the FDA delayed indefinitely in March 2026 the February 2026 order allowing spirulina extract in foods generally, which slows entry into new food categories [5].

Who are the Leading Companies in the Spirulina Extracts Market?

DIC Corporation, Cyanotech Corporation, E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd., Sensient Technologies Corporation, Givaudan SA, Döhler GmbH and Chr. Hansen Holding A/S are among the leading suppliers across cultivation-linked platforms, food-colour formulators and specialty colour positions.

Competition is splitting between companies that grow spirulina and companies that turn colour into ready-to-use grades. DIC is building on its own cultivation, as its Earthrise subsidiary opened a 420,000 m² harvest plant in April 2025 that produces LINABLUE extract for Sun Chemical [14] [15]. Cyanotech remains mainly a whole-spirulina seller, reporting Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica sales of USD 7.6 million in fiscal 2025, of which bulk sales rose 53.0% [28]. Colour houses are widening their blue ranges, as Givaudan gained FDA approval in May 2025 for a galdieria-based blue that competes with spirulina in acidic drinks [27]. Suppliers with both cultivation and application labs are expected to win the largest new contracts during the forecast period.

• Among cultivation-linked ingredient platforms, DIC Corporation, Cyanotech Corporation and E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd. grow spirulina and supply biomass or extracts.
• Sensient Technologies Corporation and Döhler GmbH act as food-color formulation specialists, turning natural pigments, including spirulina, into colour blends for food and drink makers.
• In specialty and legacy color positions, Givaudan SA offers natural blue colours for food and cosmetics, while Chr. Hansen Holding A/S is profiled for its former natural colours business.

Competitive Benchmarking

Table 5: Competitive Benchmarking for the Spirulina Extracts Market (qualitative ratings), 2026

Company	Cultivation control	Extract-grade evidence	Application evidence	Geographic Reach
DIC Corporation	High	High	High	USA and China cultivation; Japan; global colour sales via Sun Chemical
Cyanotech Corporation	High	Unscored	Unscored	Hawaii cultivation; international nutrition sales
E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd.	High	Medium	Medium	India sourcing; USA via Valensa
Sensient Technologies Corporation	Unscored	High	High	North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia
Givaudan SA	Unscored	Medium	Medium	Global (Sense Colour and Active Beauty)
Döhler GmbH	Unscored	Medium	High	Global food and beverage
Chr. Hansen Holding A/S	Unscored	Unscored	Unscored	Historical natural colours role only

Cultivation control is rated High where the company grows its own spirulina, extract-grade evidence is High for a named spirulina extract product line with published details and Medium for a narrower launch or project, application evidence is High where public material covers several food or supplement uses and Medium where it covers one use, and Unscored means public evidence was not enough to rate, so ratings are not market shares.

Key Developments

• In April 2025, DIC’s U.S. subsidiary Earthrise Nutritionals held the inauguration of its new 420,000 m² harvest plant, which uses central system control, robot arms and AI-based growth checks [14].
• In May 2025, Givaudan announced FDA approval of Everzure Galdieria, a phycocyanin-rich blue it described as similar to spirulina but stable at lower pH [27].
• In February 2026, GNT announced that the FDA had expanded permitted uses of spirulina-based blue colours to foods generally, following its petition [3].
• In July 2026, Oterra launched liquid versions of its spirulina-based Arctic Blue and jagua-based Jungle Blue colours [24].
• In October 2026, Sun Chemical said it would feature LINABLUE G1, a blue from vertically integrated spirulina cultivation, at SupplySide Global on 28-30 October 2026 [29].

Key Players

Cultivation-Linked Ingredient Platforms

• DIC Corporation
• Cyanotech Corporation
• E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd.

Food-Color Formulation Specialists

• Sensient Technologies Corporation
• Döhler GmbH

Specialty and Legacy Color Positions

• Givaudan SA
• Chr. Hansen Holding A/S

Report Scope and Methodology

Table 6: Report Scope for the Spirulina Extracts Market (descriptive), 2025-2036

Coverage field	Report scope
Market breakdown	Form (Powder, Tablet & Capsule, Liquid); Nature (Conventional, Organic); Application (Nutraceuticals, Food and Beverage, Animal Feed, Cosmetics & Personal care, Others); Region
Quantitative units	USD Million
Market definition	Revenue from spirulina-derived extract ingredients, including phycocyanin-rich and other extracted fractions. Whole biomass, substitute pigments and finished-product revenue are excluded; Tablet & Capsule counts extract-ingredient value only.
Regions covered	North America; Latin America; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; East Asia; South Asia and Pacific; Middle East and Africa
Countries covered	USA; UK; Germany; Japan; South Korea (profiled CAGRs), with further countries in the regional taxonomy
Key companies profiled	DIC Corporation; Cyanotech Corporation; E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd.; Sensient Technologies Corporation; Chr. Hansen Holding A/S; Givaudan SA; Döhler GmbH
Forecast period	2026 to 2036
Approach	Ingredient-level sizing from supply-side product evidence and end-use qualification needs, with revenue counted once rather than at each downstream stage; base year 2025.

Research Methodology

Table 7: Research Methodology for the Spirulina Extracts Market (descriptive), 2025-2036

Method	Approach
Primary research	The source report presents no primary-interview findings; buyer and supplier behaviour is read from public regulatory, technical and company evidence.
Desk research	Federal Register rules, eCFR text, government press releases, company filings and releases, and technical literature, each opened and checked for this edition.
Market sizing and forecasting	Market values, segment shares and country CAGRs are FMI estimates; public sources explain demand drivers and are not used to change FMI figures.
Data validation	Values are reconciled across sections; dates, product identity and geography of each cited fact were checked against the original page, and derived figures were calculated with code.

Spirulina Extracts Market by Segments

Spirulina Extracts Market Segmented by Form

• Powder
• Tablet & Capsule
• Liquid

Spirulina Extracts Market Segmented by Nature

• Conventional
• Organic

Spirulina Extracts Market Segmented by Application

• Nutraceuticals
• Food and Beverage
• Animal Feed
• Cosmetics & Personal care
• Others

Spirulina Extracts Market Segmented by Region

• North America
• Latin America
• Western Europe
• Eastern Europe
• East Asia
• South Asia and Pacific
• Middle East and Africa

Research Sources and Bibliography

• [1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2025, April 22). HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply.
• [2] The Kraft Heinz Company (Business Wire) (2025, June 17). Kraft Heinz to Remove FD&C Colors from its U.S. Portfolio Before the End of 2027.
• [3] GNT Group (2026, February 6). U.S. FDA Expands Permitted Uses of Spirulina-Based Blue Colors Following GNT’s Petition.
• [4] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Federal Register) (2026, February 6). Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Spirulina Extract (91 FR 5291).
• [5] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Federal Register) (2026, March 24). Listing of Color Additive Exempt From Certification; Spirulina Extract; Delay of Effective Date (91 FR 13966).
• [6] U.S. Food and Drug Administration / U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2026, February 5). FDA Takes New Approach to “No Artificial Colors” Claims.
• [7] Nutritional Outlook (2025, June 19). Kraft Heinz and General Mills to remove FD&C colors from product portfolios.
• [8] Food Safety News (2025, March). West Virginia governor signs food dye ban into law.
• [9] Sensient Technologies Corporation (SEC Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.2) (2025, October 31). Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Presentation.
• [10] DIC Corporation (n.d. (accessed 2026, October)). Phycocyanin: Natural Blue Colorants (LINABLUE).
• [11] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Federal Register) (2013, August 13). Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Spirulina Extract (78 FR 49117).
• [12] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Federal Register) (2015, August 21). Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Spirulina Extract (80 FR 50762).
• [13] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Federal Register) (2022, November 10). Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Spirulina Extract (87 FR 67785).
• [14] Earthrise Nutritionals, LLC (DIC Group) (2025, April). Inauguration Event of the New Harvest Plant.
• [15] Sun Chemical (DIC Group) (2025, May 8). Earthrise Nutritionals opens new sustainable smart-farming facility for spirulina cultivation.
• [16] GNT Group (2026, April 24). GNT announces first dedicated China office for plant-based EXBERRY® colors (newsroom listing).
• [17] legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) (2008, December 16). Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, Annex I (as it applies in Great Britain).
• [18] EXBERRY by GNT (partner content on FoodNavigator) (2026, April 27). How FDA food color regulations affect spirulina extract.
• [19] Imai, Y., and Suzuki, M. (DIC Corporation), Journal of the Japan Society of Colour Material, 97(9), 276-280 (2024, September 20). Natural Pigments: Spirulina Blue Pigment from Cyanobacteria.
• [20] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Federal Register) (2025, May 12). Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Galdieria Extract Blue (90 FR 20104).
• [21] Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) (2026, October (accessed)). 21 CFR 73.530 Spirulina extract.
• [22] FoodIngredientsFirst (2013, December 5). EU adopts guidance notes on the classification of colouring foods.
• [23] Oterra (n.d. (accessed 2026, October)). About us.
• [24] Oterra (Cision) (2026, July 7). Oterra launches liquid natural blue colors to give food and beverage brands a broader, brighter choice.
• [25] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (Federal Register) (2026, March 23). National Organic Program: National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (91 FR 13782).
• [26] GNT Group (2022, November 10). New possibilities for blue beverages: GNT gains regulatory approval for spirulina extract.
• [27] Givaudan SA (2025, May 9). US FDA approves new, natural Everzure™ Galdieria expanding Givaudan’s portfolio of blue colours.
• [28] Cyanotech Corporation (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) (2025, June). Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2025.
• [29] Sun Chemical (DIC Group) (2026, October 5). Sun Chemical to Showcase Natural Food Color Solutions at SupplySide Global 2026.
• [30] DIC Corporation (Business Wire) (2022, September 14). DIC Strengthens Environmental Investments into Outdoor Mass Algae Cultivation Facilities of U.S. and Chinese Subsidiaries.
• [31] Cyanotech Corporation (2025, June 20). Cyanotech Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2025.

This bibliography is provided for reader reference and is not exhaustive. The full report contains the complete reference list and detailed citations.

This Report Answers

• What are the Spirulina Extracts Market values in 2025, 2026 and 2036?
• Which U.S. rules, state laws and brand pledges are pushing demand for natural blue colour?
• Why does Powder lead the Form category with 59.1% in 2026?
• Why do Conventional extracts hold 72.9% of the Nature category?
• What keeps Nutraceuticals at 71.4% of Application demand?
• Which profiled country grows fastest, and why is the USA the slowest?
• What is the regulatory status of spirulina extract in the USA, Great Britain, the EU and Japan?
• Which companies control cultivation, extraction and application support?