Carrageenan E407a, natural binder from seaweed

Carrageenan E407a is used in foodstuffs as a stabiliser and thickener. It is a complex mixture of natural polysaccharides, extracted from seaweed. A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate made up of many interlinked sugar molecules. Cellulose accounts for most of this. Cellulose is found in many natural fibres. You use carrageenan E407a as a gelling agent and as a water binder for meat products. You can order the excipient online from us in packs of 600g, 10kg or 25kg.

Carrageenan E407a as an alternative to gelatin

Carrageenan E407a is extracted from red seaweed on the coast of Ireland. That Irish moss has been used for decades for a typical Irish dessert with milk and red berries. The leaves of the seaweed contain a high content of mucilaginous gel, which makes them useful as a binding agent. Carrageenan E407a is a suitable alternative to gelatine for vegetarians and vegans. The additional advantage is that you do not have to dissolve the gelatine powder in water first to activate its function. You add carrageenan directly to the substance. Carrageenan can be heated up to sixty degrees and provides a smooth texture to your food. In a liquid with a high degree of acidity it loses some of its power.

Carrageenan E407a and agar agar

Carrageenan E407a is very similar to agar agar, a thickener extracted from the same seaweed. However, agar agar is processed in a different way. You should mix agar agar cold before heating. It remains stable at higher temperature than carrageenan, namely 80 degrees. Nevertheless, carrageenan E407a is the first choice for many because of its ease of use in achieving viscosity. Carrageenan is preferred when you make your own vegan cheese. This gelling agent has melting properties, which helps your vegan cheese melt when you heat it.

Carrageenan E407a and meat products
Are you not a vegetarian or vegan? Then carrageenan E407a can still be an important excipient for you. For example, it acts as a water binding agent in meat products. You can dissolve the excipient in the brine before the salt is dissolved, but it is also possible to do so afterwards. The binder is especially suitable for meat injection and does not clog filters and seams. You use 0.3% to 0.6% per kilogram of final weight.