About Earthrise: Our Farm

Ecologically Grown for 100% Purity and Safety at the World's Largest Spirulina Farm

Merging U.S. and Japanese innovation, technology and resources, Earthrise® operates the world's largest Spirulina farm on a 108-acre site to supply over 20 countries with the world's best known Spirulina. In the clean, sunny California desert, Earthrise® Spirulina yields more nutrition per acre than any other food. Ecologically grown, free of pesticides and herbicides. Dried in a few seconds to preserve full nutritional value. Every day, farm scientists conduct dozens of rigorous quality control tests to ensure that our high quality exceeds all international food standards.

Keeping Out Weed Algae

Hundreds of aquatic organisms can bloom in nutrient rich water in warm sunshine. Weeding out unwanted microscopic algae is a difficult task. Preventing weed algae from taking over is the key to growing a pure culture. Earthrise® scientists accomplish this without toxic chemicals, using a specially designed pond system and balancing the pond ecology.

Ecological Pond Cultivation

In this remote and sunny part of California, far from cities, highways and airports, the air is clean. Mineral rich Colorado river water, which supplies seven states of the U.S. Southwest, is pumped through canals, to large settling ponds, through filters into the growing ponds.

Long Paddlewheels Mix Water for Optimum Growth

Our 30 Spirulina ponds have food-grade liners. Each is 5000 square meters, or over an acre, in size and larger than a football field. Clean, fresh water and nutrients are added daily to feed the algae, mixed by 50-foot paddlewheels in each pond.

Carbon Dioxide Is Bubbled into the Water

Plant leaves take in carbon from the carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, but algae need carbon in the water. Algae grows so quickly that atmospheric CO2 cannot penetrate the water fast enough to sustain growth, so carbon must be added. The same high-quality CO2 used in carbonated drinking waters is pumped directly into the ponds.

Pure Mineral Nutrients Feed Growing Spirulina

Adding extra manure or organic matter directly into the water can foul the shallow ponds and disturb algae growth. Instead, clean and pure sources of mineral nutrients are used. Premium quality minerals like nitrogen, potassium, iron and essential trace elements nourish a consistently high quality Spirulina.

Continuous Fresh Harvest

During the growing season, April through October, ponds are harvested every day. In the peak summer sun, harvesting occurs 24 hours a day, to keep up with the explosive growth rate.

15-Minute Journey from Ponds to Powder

In its quick trip through our stainless steel harvest and drying system, the product is never touched by human hands. The first screen filters out pond debris, and the next screens harvest the microscopic algae. Nutrient rich water is recycled back to the ponds. Then a final filter thickens Spirulina from green yogurt to green dough. It is still 80% water inside the cells and needs to be dehydrated immediately.

Quick Drying Preserves Nutrients

Spirulina droplets are sprayed into the drying chamber to flash evaporate the water. Dry powder is exposed to heat for several seconds as it falls to the bottom. Then it is vacuumed into a collection hopper in the packaging room. This quick process preserves heat-sensitive nutrients, pigments and enzymes with no preservatives or stabilizers.

Sealed In Special Oxygen Barrier Containers

The final Spirulina powder has a high content of heat-sensitive phycocyanin, attesting to the drying quality. Fresh dried Spirulina can be stored for four years or more in special oxygen barrier containers, retaining nearly full beta carotene potency.

Tableted and Bottled Finished Products

Fresh Spirulina powder is directly cold compressed into tablets, without heat or granulation. Using the latest bottling technology, machines automatically fill protective glass bottles. These are then sealed and packaged for shipment to customers.