Carrageenans are water-soluble polysaccharides that are extracted from red seaweed. The term carrageenan is derived from an Irish word, “carrageen” meaning a “little rock”. Carrageenans are widely used in the food and personal care industry for properties like gelling, thickening, stabilisation, water-binding and providing wide variety of textures. In personal care, carrageenans are mainly used in oral care applications, with more than 70% of the total volume used (in 2018) being dedicated to oral care. Carrageenans are especially popular in the Asia Pacific region, which uses 45% of the total volume that is used in personal care globally. As the personal care industry is increasingly on the outlook for more natural ingredients, the use of carrageenans has been on the rise, with a projected CAGR of +2.4% for the next 5 years
Carrageenan is an extract from specific red seaweed species (Rhodophyceae) and can be obtained from various species like, Chon
