Sodium Alginate
Sodium Alginate is the sodium salt of alginic acid, a naturally occurring polysaccharide obtained mainly from brown seaweed. It is widely used as a hydrocolloid because it can provide thickening, stabilizing, gelling, film-forming, encapsulation, and water binding functions in many different applications and formulations.
Sodium Alginate dissolves completely in hot and cold water. It reacts with calcium ions (such as calcium chloride or calcium lactate) to instantly form edible gel membranes and spheres. It is used in dairy products, desserts, dressings, sauces, restructured foods, bakery products, noodles and beverages.
It is widely used in molecular gastronomy for spherification, commercial food production and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Sodium Alginate is listed as GRAS and is approved for use in foods; 21CFR Part 184.1724