Alginate as food additive

Alginates are safe and approved as food additives by the European Community and by the USFDA and listed in the UN Codex Alimentarius.

Alginates are given E numbers. Alginic acid is E400, while the sodium, potassium, ammonium and calcium salts are E401-E404 respectively. The most widely used is the sodium salt.

Alginates are the principal structural components of brown seaweeds. They are present in seaweed as a mixed salt of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

It acts as bulking agent, emulsifier, fiber, stabilizer and thickener. Alginate are routinely used in foods to improve, change and stabilize texture by exploiting properties such as gelatin, viscosity enhancement and stabilization of aqueous solution mixtures, dispersion and emulsions.

Theoretically, due to its ability to trap dietary cholesterol in its gel like structure, it may have cholesterol-lowering effects.

Alginates are very efficient water binders and this leads to their use as thickeners where low levels give high viscosities; as gelling agents; and in solid foods to prevent water loss, syneresis and phase separation.

This additive are extensively used in the preparation of ice creams, in the production of dairy products, such as whipped cream products, milk powder, milk-mixing products, milk shakes, candies, processed cheese, soft cheese and cheese creams.
Alginate as food additive