A number of drying methods studied for the processing of Spirulina (crossflow dried, spray dried and oven dried) resulted in approximately 50% loss of phycocyanin. Therefore fresh biomass was suitable for phycocyanin extraction. Of the extraction methods tested, freezing and thawing of cells, homogenisation using a mortar and pestle in the presence of abrasive material and homogenisation using a blender at 10 000 rpm yielded 19.4 +/- 0.4 mg phycocyanin per 100 mg dry weight of Spirulina while water extraction was a slow process. Acid treatment also resulted in phycocyanin leaching. Phycocyanin was stable over a pH range of 5-7.5 at 9+/-1 degrees C, whereas temperature beyond 40 degrees C lead to instability. The pigment phycocyanobilin was separated from the phycocyanin.