Assuming wide differences among Artemia cysts available in the international market and the need to check the quality of the cysts harvested from Spanish salinas, this work proposes a model for quality control matching the minimum analyses required in order to state the possibilities offered by a given cyst stock. Tests included in the control are: percentages of full cysts, shells and other materials; biometrics of cysts (dehydrated cyst weight, hydrated cyst diameter and volume) and nauplii (length and dry weight); hatching efficiency, rate, output, synchrony and times; chromosome study; electrophoretic characterisation and nutritional value. A quality control example has been applied to a cyst sample.