Carrageenan

Carrageenan, one of nature’s perfect stabilizers

Carrageenan, or a starch-like product of red seaweed, is a natural food ingredient that has been used for hundreds of years in cooking all over the world. Carrageenan is a soluble fiber that improves texture, adds to shelf life, and does not add fat or calories to food. Carrageenan is a high molecular weight polysaccharide consisting of galactose sulfate and anhydrogalactose sulfate units. There are three types of carrageenan, identified by the number and distribution of sulfate groups on the macromolecule, which confer a large variety of properties in terms of solubility and texture.

Carrageenan is a versatile product, used in a variety of foods, personal care products, pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements. Among them: chocolate milk, ice cream and other dairy products, syrups, toothpaste, lotions and hair products. Importantly, it is often used as a thickening agent in place of petrochemical and animal-based products, like gelatin, which is extracted from animal byproducts. Carrageenan is an accepted ingredient for vegan, halal and kosher diets. Carrageenan enables the export of countless products by preserving their texture, structure and stability.

Heard mixed messages about carrageenan? Learn the facts here.