Nature-derived texturiser offers ocean of opportunity

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, Chondrus crispus, Kappaphycus Striatum, Sarcothalia crispata, Kappaphycus alvarezii, Mazzaella laminaroides, Gigartina skottsbergii. Carrageenans can be found in different geographical locations like Southern Asia, South East Africa, South America and in the North Atlantic each producing specific species of carrageenan. Carrageenans can be produced both from harvested wild or farmed red seaweed. There can be country or region-specific regulations around the type of families/species that can be used to extract carrageenans.

Carrageenan, on industrial scale, is obtained by following steps of extraction, purification and carrageenan recovery by alcohol precipitation or potassium based gelation. The product then undergoes drying and milling to give the refined carrageenan. Semi-refined carrageenan, (Processed Eucheuma Seaweed, P.E.S) differs from refined carrageenan in two main respects. Firstly, the only permitted raw material for P.E.S. is Eucheuma Seaweed. Secondly, it is obtained by simple alkaline treatment (no extraction and no filtration).