CleanCleanest spirulina and chlorella in the UK and EU (heavy-metal lab reports, 2026)
- Based on independent batch lab reports we re-opened ourselves on 22 Oct 2026, 6 spirulina and chlorella powders in our directory are Lab verified: 4 from EU sellers (Sunday Natural and Eltabia, both Germany) and 2 from a UK seller (PlantPills, Nottingham).
- Cleanest result: Sunday Natural Premium Organic Chlorella (EU seller; GBA Hamburg, 24 Sep 2026, batch L06606): lead <0.
- 020, cadmium <0.
- 010, mercury <0.
- 010 and total arsenic <0.
- 040 mg/kg, all below the lab’s reporting limits.
- Lowest-lead spirulina: PlantPills Spirulina (UK seller; Eurofins UK, 2 Jun 2025, batch YA-AD-03): lead 0.
- 038, cadmium 0.
- 010, mercury <0.
- 005 and arsenic 0.
- 055 mg/kg.
- The highest lead of the six is PlantPills Chlorella (0.
- 183 mg/kg) and the highest total arsenic is Sunday Natural Spirulina (0.
- 62 mg/kg).
- Every result is far below the EU food-supplement limits (lead 3.
- 0, cadmium 1.
- 0, mercury 0.
- 10 mg/kg).
- Cheapest per day (calculated at the label dose, prices checked 22 Oct 2026): Eltabia Chlorella €0.
- 16 and Eltabia Spirulina €0.
- 17 (1 kg bags) from an EU seller; PlantPills Spirulina £0.
- 34 and PlantPills Chlorella £0.
- 36 (250 g) from a UK seller.
- None of the reports measured PAHs or microcystins.
- We make no health claims.
Looking for kelp, iodine or sea moss? Seaweed is compared separately: heavy metals and iodine dose →
Data from published lab reports only; updated 2026-11-01. Not medical advice. Testing status can’t be bought.
Full greens comparison: sortable table of every product →
Lab results
Quick picks
- EU seller: Sunday Natural Premium Organic Chlorella Powder 150 g: Pb <0.020, Cd <0.010, Hg <0.010, As <0.040 mg/kg · €0.26/day. All four metals below the lab’s reporting limits; newest report (GBA Hamburg, DAkkS, 24 Sep 2026), tested on the finished jar.
- EU seller: Eltabia Bio Chlorella Pulver (organic chlorella powder) 1 kg: Pb 0.078, Cd <0.010, Hg 0.015, As 0.069 mg/kg · €0.16/day. Lowest price per day of the six (€0.16 on the 1 kg bag); all four metals quantified (GBA Hamburg, Jul 2026).
- UK seller: PlantPills Spirulina Powder 250 g: Pb 0.038, Cd 0.010, Hg <0.005, As 0.055 mg/kg · £0.34/day. Lowest lead of the three spirulinas; batch-matched Eurofins UK report, but dated Jun 2025.
| # | Product | Seller | Lab-test status | Pb | Cd | Hg | As | Price per day (calculated) | Red flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday Natural Premium Organic Chlorella Powder 150 g | EU | Lab verified24 Sep 2026Report | <0.020 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.010 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.010 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.040 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | €0.26/day €12.90 · 150 g · 3 g a day · price incl. VAT, excl. shipping | ⚠ 2 red flags
|
| 2 | PlantPills Spirulina Powder 250 g | UK | Lab verified2 Jun 2025Report | 0.038 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.010 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.005 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.055 (no EU limit) | £0.34/day £16.99 · 250 g · 5 g a day · also 500 g £32.99, 1 kg £60.99, 2 kg £112.99 | ⚠ 4 red flags
|
| 3 | Eltabia Bio Chlorella Pulver (organic chlorella powder) 1 kg | EU | Lab verified13 Jul 2026Report | 0.078 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.010 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.015 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.069 (no EU limit) | €0.16/day €39.99 · 1 kg · about 4 g a day · also 200 g €16.99 and 500 g €24.99 | ⚠ 3 red flags
|
| 4 | Sunday Natural Organic Spirulina Powder 225 g | EU | Lab verified24 Sep 2026Report | 0.10 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.010 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.010 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.62 (no EU limit) | €0.41/day €22.90 · 225 g · 4 g a day · also 2 × 225 g €43.51 | ⚠ 4 red flags
|
| 5 | Eltabia Bio Spirulina Pulver (organic spirulina powder) 1 kg | EU | Lab verified13 Jul 2026Report | 0.11 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.025 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.010 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.51 (no EU limit) | €0.17/day €34.99 · 1 kg · about 5 g a day · also 200 g €17.99 and 500 g €24.99 | ⚠ 4 red flags
|
| 6 | PlantPills Chlorella Powder 250 g | UK | Lab verified2 Jun 2025Report | 0.183 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.006 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | <0.005 (well under the EU limit or below detection) | 0.186 (no EU limit) | £0.36/day £17.99 · 250 g · 5 g a day · also 500 g £33.99, 1 kg £63.99, 2 kg £116.99 | ⚠ 5 red flags
|
Ranked by measured lead (lowest first). Pb = lead, Cd = cadmium, Hg = mercury, As = total arsenic, in mg/kg, copied from each lab report; “<” = below the lab’s reporting limit (the true value is between zero and that figure). EU 2023/915 limits for food supplements: Pb 3.0, Cd 1.0, Hg 0.10 mg/kg; there is no EU limit for arsenic in supplements. Price per day = pack price ÷ servings at the label dose, seller prices checked 22 Oct 2026; € and £ are never converted or mixed.
About Greens
- What it is
- Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis, a blue-green microalga) and chlorella (a green freshwater microalga), dried and sold as single-ingredient powders or pressed tablets.
- Common forms
- Powder (jar or bag) or 100% pressed tablets.
- Typical label doses
- Labels in our directory give 3–5 g a day.
- Note
- Algae can take up heavy metals from the water they grow in, which is why batch lab reports matter. Reports usually give total arsenic only, and none of the reports we list measured PAHs or microcystins.
There are no authorised EU or GB health claims for spirulina or chlorella as such, so we do not describe any benefits.
Information only, not medical advice. Food supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to a healthcare professional before use, especially if pregnant or on medication.
FAQ
Which spirulina or chlorella has the lowest heavy metals?
Sunday Natural Premium Organic Chlorella Powder (EU seller, Germany): lead <0.020, cadmium <0.010, mercury <0.010 and total arsenic <0.040 mg/kg, all below the reporting limits of GBA Hamburg (DAkkS-accredited), report 26046244-033, 24 Sep 2026, batch L06606, tested on the finished 150 g jar. Among spirulinas, the lowest lead is PlantPills Spirulina Powder (UK seller): lead 0.038, cadmium 0.010, mercury <0.005 and arsenic 0.055 mg/kg (Eurofins Food Testing UK, 2 Jun 2025, batch YA-AD-03). Next by lead: Eltabia Chlorella 0.078, Sunday Natural Spirulina 0.10, Eltabia Spirulina 0.11 and PlantPills Chlorella 0.183 mg/kg.
What are the EU limits for heavy metals in spirulina and chlorella supplements?
Spirulina and chlorella sold as food supplements must stay under the EU 2023/915 maximum levels for supplements: lead 3.0, cadmium 1.0 and mercury 0.10 mg/kg; Great Britain applies the same levels to supplements. There is no EU legal limit for arsenic in food supplements, and the reports give total arsenic, not the inorganic form that matters most. The EU also sets PAH limits for food supplements containing spirulina (benzo(a)pyrene 10 µg/kg, sum of four PAHs 50 µg/kg), and there is no legal limit for microcystins; none of these six reports measured either. All six products are well within the three metal limits; the highest lead is 0.183 mg/kg.
Which lab-tested spirulina or chlorella can I buy from a UK seller?
PlantPills (Nottingham) sells both. Spirulina powder: £16.99 for 250 g, about £0.34 a day at 5 g (also 500 g £32.99, 1 kg £60.99 and 2 kg £112.99). Chlorella powder: £17.99 for 250 g, about £0.36 a day at 5 g (also 500 g £33.99, 1 kg £63.99 and 2 kg £116.99). Both have Eurofins Food Testing UK certificates for the current batches (2 Jun 2025), posted as images on the brand’s forum; the reports turn 18 months old in Dec 2026. Prices checked 22 Oct 2026; we never convert £ to €.
Where can I buy lab-tested spirulina or chlorella in the EU or Spain?
Two German shops: Sunday Natural (chlorella €12.90 for 150 g, about €0.26 a day at 3 g; spirulina €22.90 for 225 g, about €0.41 a day at 4 g) and Eltabia (chlorella €39.99 per kg, about €0.16 a day at 4 g; spirulina €34.99 per kg, about €0.17 a day at 5 g; 200 g and 500 g bags also sold). We did not check delivery costs or times to Spain or the UK for either shop. None of the Spanish sellers we checked publishes heavy-metal numbers. Prices checked 22 Oct 2026.
Which lab-verified spirulina or chlorella is cheapest per day?
Calculated at each label’s daily dose, prices checked 22 Oct 2026. EU sellers: Eltabia Chlorella €0.16 (4 g, 1 kg bag), Eltabia Spirulina €0.17 (5 g, 1 kg bag), Sunday Natural Chlorella €0.26 (3 g) and Sunday Natural Spirulina €0.41 (4 g). UK seller: PlantPills Spirulina £0.34 and PlantPills Chlorella £0.36 (5 g, 250 g bag; about £0.30 and £0.32 a day on the 1 kg bags). Doses differ between brands (3–5 g), so compare grams per day too. We never convert between € and £.
What are the caveats on these reports?
PlantPills: both certificates are from 2 Jun 2025 (about 17 months old) and are JPEG images on the brand’s forum, not PDFs; the certificate does not say whether the sample was powder or tablets. Sunday Natural Spirulina: the product page says non-EU agriculture but the report calls the sample “Bio Spirulina Portugal Pulver”, and its total arsenic (0.62 mg/kg) is the highest of the six. Eltabia: the reports were run on 200 g packs, so the 1 kg bag may be a different lot, and the published reports have no microbiology. PlantPills Chlorella has the highest lead of the six (0.183 mg/kg, about 6% of the EU limit). Every sample was supplied by the brand, and no report measured PAHs or microcystins.
Do spirulina or chlorella have any approved health claims?
No health claim for spirulina or chlorella as such is authorised in the EU or the UK, so we make none, and benefit claims you may see on shop pages are not checked by us. This page only compares independent lab results, prices and sellers. It is not medical advice: if you are pregnant, take medicines or have a health condition, ask a pharmacist or doctor before taking a supplement.
Why are other greens powders not listed?
We only list products with an openable, batch-level report showing numbers that we have checked. Other spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass and blend powders we researched are not listed yet: some publish no report with figures, and others are still under review (for example arsenic not tested, an old report, or a summary written by the brand rather than a lab certificate).
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