Phycocyanin

Phycocyanin (CAS 11016-15-2), commonly specified as C-Phycocyanin in commercial and research procurement, is a blue pigment protein extracted from Spirulina and other cyanobacteria. It delivers an intense, natural blue color across food, cosmetic, and biotech applications where synthetic dyes are being replaced or restricted for industrial use.

In food and beverage manufacturing, it is used to produce blue and blue-green hues in confectionery, dairy products, beverages, and plant-based formulations without synthetic colorants. Personal care formulators incorporate it into color cosmetics, particularly eyeshadows, lip products, and skincare lines, to meet demand for naturally derived pigments.

In pharmaceutical and nutraceutical development, it functions as an antioxidant active in supplement capsules, functional food matrices, and research-grade formulations. Biotechnology and life sciences buyers source it as a fluorescent label and detection reagent in flow cytometry and immunoassay applications for precise laboratory results.

The material is supplied as a fine powder or water-soluble spray-dried powder, with liquid extract forms also available for direct incorporation into aqueous systems. Grades are differentiated by purity ratio, with food-grade, reagent-grade, and high-purity analytical specifications available to suit different industrial end-use requirements.