Carageenan Supplier

AEP Colloids is one of the leading carageenan suppliers in the food and pharmaceutical industry.

Carageenan Supplier

Dairy, Bakery, Beverages, kappa carrageenan, iota carrageenan, lambda carrageenan, Powdered Drinks, Processed Meats, Desserts, Food Grade

CAS# 9000-07-1

Carrageenan is an extract of red seaweeds of the Gigartinaceae, Solieriaceae, and Hypneaceae families.  Carrageenan can be broken down into three main categories designated by the Greek letter prefixes kappa, iota and lambda, with gelling and non-gelling types:

Kappa Carageenan

The kappa Carrageenan produces a brittle gel with syneresis that can be strengthened with the addition or in the presence of Potassium cations.

Iota Carageenan

Iota Carrageenan also produces a gel but is more elastic in nature and produces no syneresis.  The iota Carrageenan gel can be strengthened best with the addition or in the presence of Calcium cations.

Lambda Carageenan

The last type, lambda Carrageenan, is a non-gelling type that can hydrate in hot or cold solution of water or milk to thicken and stability.   The Carageenan extract is manufactured by washing the dried seaweed to remove undesired material, followed by a hot alkaline extraction under agitation to disintegrate the plant material.  Depending on grade and end-use requirements, the material may be decolorized with charcoal prior to it being filtered.  The filtered material is then evaporated to remove about half its volume and recovered via alcohol precipitation or drum drying. This precipitate is then ground to specification and packaged.

Uses for Carageenan

Carrageenan can be utilized in many applications for its ability to gel, thicken and to stabilize proteins.  As a replacement for gelatin in dessert gels, kappa Carrageenan can be use in combination with Locust Bean Gum, as well as iota Carrgeenan, to create a resilient, non-brittle gel similar to gelatin.  The synergy between kappa Carrageenan and Locust Bean Gum improves the product to create a high strength gel with more elasticity while removing the syneresis typically associated with kappa gels.  When combined with starch, Carrageenan can be used to create an egg-less custard for milk puddings and pie fillings.  In milk beverages, Carrageenan is an effective stabilizer in preventing settling and adding a smooth mouth feel to the final product.  Carrageenans can also be used in cheese, ice cream, bakery applications as well as meat, fish, and poultry.

AEP Colloids is one of the leading carageenan suppliers in the industry. To purchase carageenan, please contact us online or call us at 1-800-848-0685. If you’d like to try out a free sample, please click here.