E404Carrier · Humectant · Sequestrant · Stabiliser · Thickener
Calcium alginate
What the research shows
No concerns
none of the findings here link it to harm
Used in food as a carrier, humectant, sequestrant, stabiliser or thickener.
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- EU permitted
What research says
Studies in people
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Benefit
Blood fat after meals1
In people, calcium alginate taken with fatty food lowered blood fats for hours afterward.
Animal and lab studies only
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Benefit
Blood sugar after meals2
In animal studies, calcium alginate slowed starch digestion and blunted the blood sugar rise after eating.
How it’s made and used
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Food poisoning bacteria on fish3
Calcium alginate coatings with lysozyme slowed the growth of Listeria and Salmonella on smoked salmon kept cold.
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 one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. 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.
What expert reviews concluded
Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.
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UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1992
No daily limit needed (“ADI not specified”, JECFA’s term for very low toxicity).
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
United States Permitted FDA 21 CFR 184.1187
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European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
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Canada Permitted Health Canada · Emulsifying Gelling Stabilizing Thickening Agents
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 153 products on Open Food Facts that list calcium alginate.
- 2 Sausages Quorn · 12 sausages 4 additives
- 8 Sausages Quorn · 336 g 4 additives
- 14 Cocktail Sausages (Quorn) Quorn · 140 g 7 additives
- 20 Cocktail Sausages Quorn · 200 g 7 additives
- Chicken Sausages ASHFIELDS 4 additives
- Chicken sausages (garlic & herb) Aldi · 340 g 4 additives
References
- 1Namiki Y, Kimura S, Sasaki R, et al. Effect of Calcium Alginate on the Suppression of Postprandial Elevation of Serum Triglyceride Level in Humans-A Placebo-Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Study. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2025;71(5):467-473. doi:10.3177/jnsv.71.467
- 2Idota Y, Kato T, Shiragami K, et al. Mechanism of Suppression of Blood Glucose Level by Calcium Alginate in Rats. Biol Pharm Bull. 2018;41(9):1362-1366. doi:10.1248/bpb.b18-00155
- 3Datta S, Janes ME, Xue QG, Losso J, La Peyre JF. Control of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella anatum on the surface of smoked salmon coated with calcium alginate coating containing oyster lysozyme and nisin. J Food Sci. 2008;73(2):M67-71. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00633.x