Open Food Labels. Search 352 ingredients⌘K

E406Carrier · Emulsifier · Humectant · Stabiliser · Thickener

Agar

What the research shows

Prototype

Unclear

the research on this page hasn’t settled it

2 health findings on this page · See the findings

A jelly-like substance from some kinds of red algae.

It is used as a thickener for soups and in desserts.

Written from English Wikipedia1

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • EU permitted

What research says

Studies in people

  • No harm found

    Gut bacteria and digestion2

    Agar is barely broken down by gut bacteria, and people who took agar for 12 weeks had no noticeable side effects.

  • Open question

    Stomach emptying speed3

    In healthy adults, agar slowed how fast food left the stomach but did not change blood sugar.

Study type not stated

  • Benefit

    Heart and blood pressure4

    Agar from red seaweed contains minerals like potassium and calcium that may help meet daily needs and support heart health.

How it’s made and used

  • Taste and flavour release5

    In lab studies, firmer agar gels needed more chewing and released less flavour, while added fat meant less chewing.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Regulatory status

Checked Sep 2026

Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating.

How we check

Products

The 6 most-scanned of 3,332 products on Open Food Facts that list agar.

  • Elle & vire desserts lactes mon grec nature Elle & Vire · 4 x 125 g 2 additives
  • Greek Yogurt Vanilla Flavored Chobani · 30 oz 4 additives
  • Smoky Ham Free Slices Quorn · 100 g 3 additives
  • ORGANIC CHEWY GRANOLA BARS mixed berry MADEGOOD · 144 g (6 * 24 g) 0 additives
  • Vegan Chicken Free Slices Quorn · 100 g 3 additives
  • Pépites de chocolat Barres Granola MADE GOOD · 24 g/bar 1 additive

References

  1. 1Agar. Wikipedia. Accessed September 25, 2026.
  2. 2Mortensen A, Aguilar F, Crebelli R, et al. Re-evaluation of agar (E 406) as a food additive. EFSA J. 2016;14(12):e04645. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4645
  3. 3Sanaka M, Yamamoto T, Anjiki H, Nagasawa K, Kuyama Y. Effects of agar and pectin on gastric emptying and post-prandial glycaemic profiles in healthy human volunteers. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2007;34(11):1151-5. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1681.2007.04706.x
  4. 4Öğretmen ÖY. Potential Contribution to Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) of Agar Extracted from Gelidium latifolium (Gelidiaceae, Rhodophyta) as a Mineral Source. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2023;201(4):2088-2096. doi:10.1007/s12011-022-03381-6
  5. 5Frank D, Eyres GT, Piyasiri U, et al. Effects of Agar Gel Strength and Fat on Oral Breakdown, Volatile Release, and Sensory Perception Using in Vivo and in Vitro Systems. J Agric Food Chem. 2015;63(41):9093-102. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.5b03441