The National Algae Association (NAA) is forming new Parameters and Standards Committees for commercial cultivation, harvesting and extraction of algae biomass/oil made into algae based co-products including nutraceutical Omega 3 EPA/DHA, cosmetics, feeds, food and bioplastics.

Going forward, NAA will require new third-party testing services for the commercial production of Haematococcus pluvias, Botryococcus braunii, Chlorella, Dunaliella, Nannochloris, Nannochloropsis, Scenedesmus, Spirulina plus other freshwater and saltwater strains.

The NAA has established a number of goals that include testing and documentation for assignment of specs and quality seals, identification of current regulations for algae-based ingredients, setting standards to ensure compliance with the applicable regulations, making test results and facility audits available, having analytical methods validated in a US laboratory at minimum particular matrix as a requirement for the membership, and testing raw biomass materials based on purity, excipients and compliance type to help designate certain classes of material which would allow for the assignment of a specific Quality Seal to attempt to mitigate counterfeit ingredients.

The NAA’s Algae Production Certification Program is the first online program in the world for students and private industry focusing on all aspects of commercial algae production.

Further information about the work of the NAA is available here.