E407 - Carrageenan

At a glance

• What it is: A family of seaweed gums (kappa, iota, lambda) that thicken, gel, or stabilize foods
• Where it comes from: Red seaweeds such as Chondrus crispus and Eucheuma species
• What it does: Keeps cocoa suspended, adds body to drinks, sets gels, and stops separation
• Common in: Chocolate milk, plant-based milks, ice cream, pudding, deli meats, sauces
• Also known as: E407; related: processed Eucheuma seaweed (E407a)

Why is carrageenan added to food?

Food makers use carrageenan to control texture. It can make liquids feel fuller, prevent watery layers from forming, and form gels in desserts. Different types behave differently: kappa makes firm gels, iota makes soft elastic gels, and lambda thickens without gelling. It also works well with milk proteins, so it is often used in dairy and dairy‑free drinks to keep cocoa and flavors evenly mixed.

What foods contain carrageenan?

You may see carrageenan on labels of:

• Dairy and dairy‑free drinks: chocolate milk, flavored milks, oat/almond/soy drinks
• Frozen treats and desserts: ice cream, sherbet, puddings, pie fillings
• Processed meats: sliced turkey, ham, and similar deli items
• Sauces and dressings: creamy sauces, pourable dressings
• Jellies and gels: dessert gels and water‑based gels On ingredient lists it appears as “carrageenan” or “E407.” A related material made with less processing is “processed Eucheuma seaweed (E407a).”

What can replace carrageenan?

Alternatives depend on the job you need done:

• For gels: agar, gellan gum, or pectins in high‑sugar or low‑pH gels
• For creamy thickness: xanthan gum or guar gum
• For dairy systems: blends with locust bean gum or gellan gum
• For water binding and suspension: sodium alginate or modified starches Each behaves differently, so recipes often use blends to match the exact texture.

How is carrageenan made?

Carrageenan is extracted from red seaweeds by heating them in an alkaline solution, filtering the liquid, and then recovering the gum by alcohol precipitation or gel pressing before drying and milling.¹ The final product is a purified polysaccharide with specifications for identity and purity set in food standards.²

Is carrageenan safe to eat?

• United States: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists carrageenan as a permitted food additive with specifications and use at levels needed for its effect.³
• European Union: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re‑evaluated carrageenan (E407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E407a) and concluded that exposure from their reported uses does not raise safety concerns for the general population under current conditions of use.⁴ EU specifications also limit the amount of very low‑molecular‑weight material and set detailed purity criteria; degraded carrageenan (also called poligeenan) is not authorized as a food additive.²
• International: The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has published specifications and previously allocated “ADI not specified” for food‑grade carrageenan when used as a thickener or stabilizer, excluding degraded forms.¹

Does carrageenan have any benefits?

For food makers, carrageenan gives reliable texture with little taste or color and works at low use levels. It can stabilize cocoa in chocolate milk, create smooth mouthfeel in low‑fat products, and form clear or elastic gels depending on the type. Because it is not digested like starch or sugar, it adds texture without many calories.

Who should avoid carrageenan?

• Infants under 16 weeks: EFSA could not conclude on safety for this age group due to limited data, so a cautious approach is advised for foods intended for very young infants.⁴
• People who notice personal sensitivity: A small number of people report digestive discomfort from certain gums; if you suspect this, discuss it with a healthcare professional.
• Anyone advised by a clinician to avoid seaweed‑derived gums or specific additives.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Carrageenan and poligeenan are the same.”
  Fact: Poligeenan is a degraded, low‑molecular‑weight material made by strong acid treatment and is not approved as a food additive; food‑grade carrageenan must meet strict purity and molecular‑weight limits.²
• Myth: “Studies show carrageenan causes ulcers.”
  Fact: Many older animal studies used poligeenan, not food‑grade carrageenan. Modern evaluations by EFSA consider current food‑grade material and its typical uses.⁴
• Myth: “Carrageenan is synthetic.”
  Fact: It is extracted from seaweed and purified; the process involves alkaline cooking, filtration, and recovery of the natural polysaccharide.¹

Carrageenan in branded foods

Many brands use carrageenan to keep chocolate milk uniform, give plant‑based milks body, stabilize ice cream, or slice deli meats cleanly. Labels may list “carrageenan” or “E407.” Recipes change over time, so check the ingredient list on the package if you are avoiding it.

References

Footnotes

1. Carrageenan (INS 407) — JECFA Specifications, FAO/WHO. https://www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/scientific-advice/jecfa/jecfa-additives/en/ ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012: Specifications for food additive E 407 Carrageenan — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. 21 CFR 172.620 Carrageenan — U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-G/section-172.620 ↩

4. Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA Journal 2018;16(4):5238). https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5238 ↩ ↩² ↩³