Sodium Alginate
A seaweed wonder, sodium alginate thickens, gels, and stabilizes – revolutionizing everything it touches!
Sodium Alginate is a natural polysaccharide (a type of carbohydrate) derived from the cell walls of brown seaweed, primarily Macrocystis and Laminaria species. It is a water-soluble salt formed when alginic acid, a compound extracted from seaweed, is neutralized with sodium hydroxide.
Water Solubility
Soluble in water: Sodium alginate dissolves easily in water to form a viscous solution. Its solubility makes it useful as a thickener and emulsifier in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical formulations.
Gel Formation
Gel-forming: When mixed with calcium ions (Ca²⁺), sodium alginate undergoes ionic cross-linking to form a gel. This property is widely utilized in food science (e.g., creating edible gels) and medical applications (e.g., wound dressings and controlled drug release systems).
Stabilizing and Emulsifying
Emulsifying properties: It helps stabilize emulsions, such as in salad dressings or cosmetics, where oil and water need to be kept in suspension.
Stabilizing:It is often used to stabilize suspensions and prevent the separation of ingredients in liquid products.
Food
Thickening and Gelling Agent
Used in jams, jellies, ice cream, salad dressings, and sauces to modify texture.
Emulsifier
Edible Films
Used to create edible coatings for fruits, vegetables, and candies.
Molecular Gastronomy
Pharma
Sodium alginate
