Cyanotech Corporation (Nasdaq NMS:CYAN), the world leader in producing high-value, natural products from microalgae, today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of NatuRose® natural astaxanthin from Haematococcus algae as a color additive in the feed of salmon and trout to enhance the color of their flesh. This approval is in response to a color additive petition filed by Cyanotech.
Cyanotech produces NatuRose brand natural astaxanthin (pronounced asta-zan-thin) for use as a natural red pigment in the aquaculture industry to impart color to the flesh of pen-raised fish and shrimp. As a result of continued growth in the world aquaculture industry, the world market for astaxanthin is currently estimated to exceed $150 million per year. Cyanotech is the world’s largest commercial producer of natural astaxanthin from microalgae and has been selling NatuRose internationally since 1997. This approval will allow Cyanotech to sell NatuRose to US salmon and trout producers and to foreign producers whose products are destined for the US market.
Go deeper with GlobalData
“The FDA scrutinized the safety and efficacy of NatuRose and validated our quantitative methods of measuring the amount of astaxanthin present in the product, fish feed and fish flesh,” said Dr. Todd Lorenz, Cyanotech’s Scientific Director. “NatuRose is a cost-effective FDA-approved alternative to the synthetic products now used to pigment pen-raised salmon and trout.”
Increasing world-wide demand for organically produced foods is fueling the development of alternative methods to grow salmon. NatuRose provides the salmon aquaculture industry with a natural alternative to synthetic coloration. In addition to allowing foreign and domestic organic salmon growers access to the large US market, FDA approval of NatuRose greatly enhances its credibility for use in salmon destined for foreign markets.
Cyanotech Corporation, the world’s leader in microalgae technology, produces high-value natural products from microalgae, and is the world’s largest commercial producer of natural astaxanthin from microalgae. Products include BioAstin(TM) natural astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant with expanding applications as a human nutraceutical; NatuRose® natural astaxanthin for the aquaculture and animal feed industry; Spirulina Pacifica®, a nutrient-rich dietary supplement; and phycobiliproteins, which are fluorescent pigments used in the immunological diagnostics market. Corporate and product information is available at http://www.cyanotech.com
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData
