What is carrageenan

However, the validity of these claims is hotly debated because the only supporting evidence comes from studies in cells and animals. When carrageenan is processed with acid, it creates a substance called degraded carrageenan, or poligeenan, which carries significant health warnings. Poligeenan is an inflammatory substance.

Researchers often use it to test new anti-inflammatory drugs in the laboratory. Poligeenan is not approved as a food additive. Degraded carrageenan, or poligeenan, is not safe to eat. Research in animals indicates that it causes gut tumors and ulcers, and may even trigger colon cancer.

Findings like these have led the International Agency for Research in Cancer to list poligeenan as a possible human carcinogen.

This means that the agency has reviewed the evidence that poligeenan can cause cancer in animals and concluded that it may have the same effect in humans. Some scientists are concerned that food-grade carrageenan is also dangerous. This is because various studies, dating back to the s, show that the substance may degrade and become toxic when it mixes with stomach acid. The medical community is unsure to what extent carrageenan degrades in the digestive system.

This means that we do not know if any amount is toxic. It is important to note that no related studies have involved human participants. Findings of a review from indicated that even non-degraded carrageenan can cause inflammation and bowel disorders, suggesting that this substance may contribute to ulcers and IBD.

However, authors of a review concluded that there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about the exact health effects of carrageenan. Anecdotal evidence suggests that eliminating carrageenan from the diet can provide relief from digestive problems, such as bloating and IBD. However, these reports are not the result of scientific research. Though it has no flavor or nutritional value, it is a useful thickening agent and stabilizer. Some manufacturers include it in products like chocolate milk, to stop the milk from separating.

It can also substitute for fat in non- or low-fat foods and dairy replacement products aimed at the vegan market. Some manufacturers use carrageenan as a binder in processed deli meats. Others inject it into pre-cooked poultry to tenderize the meat and keep it juicy for longer. Companies often use carrageenan as a vegan alternative to gelatin, in desserts, for example.

It is also a common ingredient in canned pet food. Non-food products, such as air freshener gels and toothpaste also frequently contain carrageenan. Carrageenan is also found in pet foods, especially canned ones. Choose a brand that does not contain this additive.

Talk to a doctor if you continue to experience inflammation or digestive issues after removing carrageenan. Read more: The ultimate guide to every kind of milk ». It's not unusual to start craving milk if you're trying to give up dairy. Vitamin B-2 and the other B vitamins help your body build red blood cells and help give you energy.

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This is not a claim supported by human or animal studies. Tobacman references studies that simulate gastric acid effects on carrageenan and the resulting presence of degraded carrageenan. Regulatory authorities saw no reason to question the safety of [food grade] carrageenan as long as the average molecular weight was , daltons or higher.

Tobacman also references studies that show that native carrageenan can promote colonic tumors in rats; however, the carrageenan in these studies made up anywhere between 2. In contrast, foods that contain carrageenan have the ingredient at tenths. As a result of the evaluation, the JECFA committee determined that the studies of carrageenan on laboratory animals were conducted with high levels of degraded carrageenan poligeenan and that food-grade carrageenan was a safe food additive with no limits on its use in food.

Those studies used a different form of carrageenan and were tested only at high use levels. These experiments are considered invalid because ingested carrageenan does not pass the blood-gut barrier to interact with organ cells 6. The European Commission Scientific Committee for Food stated that such correlations might be found for any food or chemical which has increased in prevalence during the 20th century We think that saying carrageenan must induce breast cancer because breast cancer incidence and carrageenan consumption both increase during the 20th century is like saying that listening to Jimi Hendrix and the prevalence of rock n roll music must also induce breast cancer.

We feel that she is doing her best to defend her case against food-grade carrageenan regardless of the science behind the arguments and is not recognizing the true difference between degraded carrageenan and food-grade carrageenan. We also invite you to not just take our word for it, and welcome you to read some of the research on your own. In:McHugh DF ed. Production and utilization of products from commercial seaweeds, vol FAO, Rome.

Environ Health Perspect J Pharmceut Pharmacol J Appl Phycol Food Chem Toxicol Med Hypotheses Brussels: European Commission; 5 March. Cancer Lett Nov