In short: We were, but we consciously are no longer.
The difference to a certified organic farm is limited solely to the use of fertilizers. There are no differences in any other criteria. Pesticides, for example, are never used.

If there were a sensible option, we would openly consider organic production again. However, to date, no one has been able to demonstrate to us that organic production is clean and competitive without extensive technical equipment. We and a university have carried out corresponding experiments.

For the following reasons, we therefore explicitly prefer mineral fertilizers to organic ones:

Problematic nitrogen conversion
The plant nutrient nitrogen (N) is only present in organic fertilizers in the form of ammonium nitrogen. In the field, so-called nitrifying bacteria convert this form into nitrate nitrogen. In our pure well water, there are hardly any bacteria, which is intentional. As a result, hardly any conversion processes take place, which ultimately results in an increase in the nitrite value. Nitrite in large quantities has a toxic effect on the algae. However, ammonium itself poses an even greater toxicological risk. Ammonium converts into poisonous gaseous ammonia at high temperatures and high pH values. Spirulina has a crucial special feature that is normally very useful to us, but becomes a problem here. At over pH10, the natural pH value of spirulina is very high, which is due to its original origin in soda lakes. The water temperature of 30-35°C completes extremely favorable conditions for high ammonia emissions, which, as already mentioned, is not at all desirable and represents a real safety risk.

Hygiene and food safety
Organic fertilizers are not of mineral origin. The basis is always liquid manure or digestate. To put it bluntly, we have little interest in letting our algae float in liquid manure. In addition to bacteria and microorganisms, there is a
There are many other potential dangers that we would bring into our pools. The positive detoxifying effect that spirulina has on our bodies also means that the water has to be kept clean. The algae can also absorb harmful substances. Our mineral, highly soluble fertilizers from the classic drip irrigation application do not pose any such risks. They are also certified free of heavy metals.

High application quantities
The concentration of nutrients in organic liquid fertilizers is many times lower than in mineral fertilizers. The sheer mass that would be required to achieve the same levels in our current medium is about 14 times higher. In our basic medium, this corresponds to 243kg/12,000L instead of the current 17kg/12,000L. The number of liters corresponds to the volume of just one of our 18 production tanks. Due to a low level of automation, the higher workload can already be anticipated due to the effort required to supply nutrients.

Inaccurate declarations
Our experience with organic fertilizers led us to realize that the actual ingredients sometimes deviated significantly from the declared values. This led to inaccuracies in the correct dosage and affected the algae.

Since spirulina is a rich food, you can safely consume large amounts. We recommend 3 teaspoons a day, which is about 12g. Many daily doses are given as 6g. If the quality is good, there is no upper limit. There are also people who eat only spirulina for a week. This shows quite clearly that there are no limits.

JoMaa are the initials of Jo hannes and Maa rten. We wanted to give Spirulina a face and therefore stand for the entire brand with our name.

Yes! On Friday mornings from 7:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. you can buy algae directly from the greenhouse and also view the production without registering. We also have various groups of visitors throughout the year. However, we need a prior request at moin@jomaa-spirulina.de

Our spirulina does not contain any allergens and is free of heavy metals or other harmful substances. When it comes to wild-harvested seaweed, you should keep an eye on the iodine content, which can often be very high. But this does not apply to our indoor spirulina.

Long. Our dried spirulina has a very low water content. If stored dry and protected from light, it will last for well over a year.

Just to name a few:

Drying - spray drying with very poor impact on ingredients & sensory properties vs. gentle drying in raw food quality

Cleanliness - open-air production vs. controlled indoor production

Additives - Use of additives for durability during transport and for hygienization vs. no additives of any kind

Transport - Many kilometers mostly from Asia vs. directly from near Hamburg

Transparency - No insight into the production process vs. direct contact with the farm and possibility of a visit

Taste & Smell - Musty covering fishy vs. mild