Carrageenan

Authors: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer, Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles

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Last updated on: 07.03.2024

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Definition
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Mixture of polysaccharides, similar to agar-agar, which is obtained by extraction with hot water from certain red algae, e.g. Chondrus crispus of the Irish moss. Carrageenan essentially consists of carragenin, a branched-chain polysaccharide.

Carrageenan is mainly used in the food industry as a gelling, emulsifying and stabilizing agent.

Cosmetically, the sodium and potassium salts are used under the INCI designations sodium/potassium carrageenan salt.