Journal of Food Safety and Quality

As a crucial source of natural astaxanthin, Haematococcus pluvialis powder holds a significant position in the global food, health products and feed industries. The scientificity and rationality of its quality standards are not only crucial for the market competitiveness of the products but also directly impact the health and safety of consumers. Although the national standard GB/T 30893—2014 Haematococcus pluvialis powder issued in 2014 played a pivotal role in the early stages of industrial development, technological advancements and evolving market demands have made some technical indicators inadequate for the current high-quality industry development. To address this, the National Standardization Management Committee issued the national standard GB/T 30893—2024 Haematococcus pluvialis powder in 2024, which will be officially implemented on April 1st, 2025, replacing the 2014 standard. This paper systematically introduced the basic framework of the new standard and provides an in-depth analysed of the basis for establishing key technical indicators such as total astaxanthin, all-trans astaxanthin, protein, moisture and ash. It also compared the main changes before and after the standard revision in detail. The research findings of this paper offered precise theoretical basis and technical reference for quality supervision departments, manufacturers and traders, aiding in promoting the high-quality and sustainable development of China’s Haematococcus pluvialis powder industry in the global market. Simultaneously, the implementation of the new standard will inject strong momentum into the efficient utilization of microalgae biological resources and the vigorous development of the big health industry in China, further enhancing China’s influence and competitiveness in the global microalgae industry.

Haematococcus pluvialis powder; national standard; revision; interpretation; astaxanthin