Astaxanthin 2%~20%

The Astaxanthin is fat-soluble, sensitive to light, oxygen, and high temperatures, needs to be stored in a cool, dark place

Route 1:Natural Extraction from Haematococcus Pluvialis (Mainstream Domestic Food-Grade)

(1) Algae Cultivation  
Open Raceway Ponds: low cost, but easily contaminated by other algae;  
Closed Photobioreactors: stable batches, higher astaxanthin accumulation in algal cells, mainstream solution among leading companies, often using a 'closed-pipe + open-pond dual-mode cultivation' approach.  
Strong light and nutrient stress induce algae cells to produce large amounts of astaxanthin.
(2) Harvested, centrifuged, and spray-dried to obtain Haematococcus pluvialis powder.  
(3)Cell Disruption: high-pressure homogenization or air-flow disruption; disruption rate determines extraction yield.  
(4)Extraction :Supercritical CO₂ low-temperature extraction (mainstream among top players): no solvent residues, low-temperature preserves activity, high product quality, but requires huge equipment investment.  
Organic Solvent Extraction (ethanol / n-hexane): low cost, requires strict solvent residue control, mainly used by small and medium factories.  
(5) Purification: molecular distillation to get astaxanthin oil; can also be microencapsulated to make water-soluble microencapsulated astaxanthin powder to improve stability and be used in water-based formulations.

Route 2:Red Yeast Fermentation Process (mainly feed grade)  
Strain activation → deep liquid fermentation tank cultivation → centrifuge to collect cells → drying and cell disruption → solvent extraction → concentration to get astaxanthin oil/powder; advantage: not affected by light or climate, stable production capacity, but the active configuration is not as good as algal source.

Route 3:Chemical Synthesis  
Chemical raw materials are synthesized via Wittig reaction, lowest cost; mixed isomers, mainly used in aquaculture feed in China, not suitable for direct use in health supplements.

Industry Trend:For food and health supplements, purchasers prefer Haematococcus pluvialis products extracted by supercritical CO₂; demand for microencapsulated powder is rising year by year.