Does Carrageenan Raise Cancer Risk?
Published: 5/19/2011

Carrageenan, a common and cheap food additive that comes from red seaweed, is used as a thickener and emulsifier in ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, soy milk and other processed food products. Based on results of animal studies, it has been tagged by some as an unsafe product that may cause ulcerations and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. I think the evidence is compelling to avoid carrageenan in any product, and especially if you have irritable bowel disease.

If you are concerned about carrageenan, start by minimizing your consumption of it. Carefully read the labels of the products mentioned above that often contain the additive, and eliminate them from your diet. With a little research you should be able to find healthy products that suit your taste and don't contain carrageenan.


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Carrageenans or carrageenins ( /ˌkærəˈɡiːnənz/ karr-ə-ghee-nənz) are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red seaweeds. There are several varieties of carrageen used in cooking and baking. Kappa-carrageenan is used mostly in breading and batter due to its gelling nature. Lambda carrageenan is a non gelling variety that assists in binding, retaining moisture and in contributing to viscosity in sweet doughs. Iota carrageenan is used primarily in fruit applications and requires calcium ions to develop a heat-reversible and flexible gel.[1]

Gelatinous extracts of the Chondrus crispus seaweed have been used as food additives for hundreds of years.[2] Carrageenan is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to gelatin.

Carrageenans are large, highly flexible molecules that curl forming helical structures. This gives them the ability to form a variety of different gels at room temperature. They are widely used in the food and other industries as thickening and stabilizing agents. A particular advantage is that they are pseudoplastic—they thin under shear stress and recover their viscosity once the stress is removed. This means that they are easy to pump but stiffen again afterwards.

All carrageenans are high-molecular-weight polysaccharides made up of repeating galactose units and 3,6 anhydrogalactose (3,6-AG), both sulfated and nonsulfated. The units are joined by alternating alpha 1-3 and beta 1-4 glycosidic linkages.

There are three main commercial classes of carrageenan:
Kappa forms strong, rigid gels in the presence of potassium ions; it reacts with dairy proteins. It is sourced mainly from Eucheuma cottonii.
Iota forms soft gels in the presence of calcium ions. It is produced mainly from Eucheuma spinosum.
Lambda does not gel, and is used to thicken dairy products. The most common source is Gigartina from South America.

The primary differences that influence the properties of kappa, iota, and lambda carrageenan are the number and position of the ester sulfate groups on the repeating galactose units. Higher levels of ester sulfate lower the solubility temperature of the carrageenan and produce lower strength gels, or contribute to gel inhibition (lambda carrageenan).

Many red algal species produce different types of carrageenans during their developmental history. For instance, the genus Gigartina produces mainly kappa carrageenans during its gametophytic stage, and lambda carrageenans during its sporophytic stage. See Alternation of generations.

All are soluble in hot water, but, in cold water, only the lambda form (and the sodium salts of the other two) are soluble.

When used in food products, carrageenan has the EU additive E-number E407 or E407a when present as "processed eucheuma seaweed", and is commonly used as an emulsifier. In parts of Scotland (where it is known as (An) Cairgean in Scottish Gaelic) and Ireland (variety used is Chondrus Crispus known in Irish Gaelic variously as carraigín, fiadháin, clúimhín cait, mathair an duilisg, ceann donn- meaning littlerock, wildstuff,cats puff,mother of seaweeds,red head), it is known as Carrageen Moss it is boiled in milk and strained, before sugar and other flavourings such as vanilla, cinnamon, brandy, or whisky are added. The end-product is a kind of jelly similar to pannacotta, tapioca, or blancmange. When iota carrageenan is combined with sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), a synergistic effect is created, allowing for stabilizing/emulsifying not obtained with any other type of carrageenan (kappa/lambda) or with other emulsifiers (mono and diglycerides, etc.). SSL combined with iota carrageenan is capable of producing emulsions under both hot and cold conditions using either vegetable or animal fat.

Desserts, ice cream, cream, milkshakes, sweetened condensed milks, and sauces: gel to increase viscosity
Beer: clarifier to remove haze-causing proteins
Pâtés and processed meats (ham, e.g.): substitute for fat, increase water retention and increase volume, or improve sliceability
Toothpaste: stabilizer to prevent constituents separating
Fruit Gushers: ingredient in the encapsulated gel
Fire fighting foam: thickener to cause foam to become sticky
Shampoo and cosmetic creams: thickener
Air freshener gels
Marbling: the ancient art of paper and fabric marbling uses a carrageenan mixture on which to float paints or inks; the paper or fabric is then laid on it, absorbing the colors.
Shoe polish: gel to increase viscosity
Biotechnology: gel to immobilize cells/enzymes
Pharmaceuticals: used as an inactive excipient in pills/tablets
Soy milk: used to thicken, in an attempt to emulate the consistency of whole milk
Diet sodas: mouthfeel and suspend flavors
Pet food
Alien saliva (movie effects)
Personal lubricants
Animal models of inflammation used to test analgesics (dilute lambda carrageenan solution (1–2%) injected subcutaneously causes swelling and pain)