carrageenan

American  

[kar-uh-gee-nuhn] / ˌkær əˈgi nən /

Or carrageenin

noun

1. a colloidal substance extracted from seaweed, chiefly used as an emulsifying and stabilizing ingredient in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

---

carrageenan British  

/ ˌkærəˈɡiːnən /

noun

1. a carbohydrate extracted from carrageen, used to make a beverage, medicine, and jelly, and as an emulsifying and gelling agent ( E407 ) in various processed desserts and drinks

---

carrageenan Scientific  

/ kăr′ə-gē′nən /

1. A gelatinous material derived from Irish moss (Chondrus crispus) and other species of red algae. It is widely used as a thickening, stabilizing, emulsifying, or suspending agent in industrial, pharmaceutical, and food products.

---

Etymology

Origin of carrageenan

carrageen + -an suffix of chemical compounds, here synonymous with -in ²

Example Sentences

"Carrageenan, riboflavin, monosodium glutamate and 20 others that I can’t pronounce," he said, as one of the "MAHA moms" gravely intoned, "that stuff's really bad."

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2025

Carrageenan is derived from a seaweed, to add a thickening texture and preserve the product.

From Seattle Times • May 2, 2024

If I did, I would not have even been able to pronounce the Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, and Carrageenan that the famous cake company uses.

From Salon • Feb. 17, 2024

Carrageenan is derived from a dark red-toned, thin, almost wiry seaweed, which is quite different from the dark green, almost mossy seaweed you may have in mind.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2023