Food Grade Sodium Alginate Application

Sodium alginate, also called algin or alginate, is one kind of natural polysaccharide carbohydrate extracted from seaweed.

Sodium Alginate (E401) is often used for thickening and stabilising. The addition of very small quantities of calcium ions increases the viscosity considerably. It is used in pie fillings to thicken and suspend the fruit and to prevent water migration into the crust. Sodium Alginate is used to stabilise the foam in beer, for gelations in icings, toppings, restructured foods and simulated fruit pieces. Another common use of sodium alginate is as an emulsion stabiliser in such products as ice cream and whipping cream.

Alginate is added to hamburger patties and reformed meat pieces where it forms a gel network to hold moisture and prevent shrinkage.

The other derivative of alginic acid that finds considerable use in the food industry is Propylene Glycol Alginate (PGA) (E405).