<P> Carrageenans or carrageenins ( / ˌkærəˈɡiːnənz / karr - ə - gee - nənz , from Irish carraigín , `` little rock '' ) are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible seaweeds . They are widely used in the food industry , for their gelling , thickening , and stabilizing properties . Their main application is in dairy and meat products , due to their strong binding to food proteins . There are three main varieties of carrageenan , which differ in their degree of sulfation . Kappa - carrageenan has one sulfate group per disaccharide , iota - carrageenan has two , and lambda - carrageenan has three . </P>
<P> Carrageenans or carrageenins ( / ˌkærəˈɡiːnənz / karr - ə - gee - nənz , from Irish carraigín , `` little rock '' ) are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible seaweeds . They are widely used in the food industry , for their gelling , thickening , and stabilizing properties . Their main application is in dairy and meat products , due to their strong binding to food proteins . There are three main varieties of carrageenan , which differ in their degree of sulfation . Kappa - carrageenan has one sulfate group per disaccharide , iota - carrageenan has two , and lambda - carrageenan has three . </P>
which type of algae do carrageenans come from
which type of algae do carrageenans come from
red edible seaweeds
red edible seaweeds