Products Description

Molecular formula: (C12H18O9)n

CAS：11114-20-8

Carrageenan, also known as Irish moss gum, Chondrus crispus gum, or lambda carrageenan, is a sulfated polysaccharide composed of galactose and dehydrated galactose, existing in the form of calcium, potassium, sodium, and ammonium salts. Due to the different forms of sulfate ester linkage, there are seven main types of carrageenan: κ-type, ι-type, λ-type, γ-type, ν-type, ξ-type, and μ-type. The first three types are mainly produced and used in industry.

The agarose is white or light brown in color, granular or powder-like, odorless or slightly fragrant, and has a sticky and smooth texture. It dissolves in water at approximately 80°C, forming a viscous, transparent or slightly milky white fluid that is easy to flow. If it is first moistened with ethanol, glycerol, or saturated sucrose solution, it is easier to disperse in water. When mixed with a 30-fold water solution and boiled for 10 minutes, it cools down to form a colloid. It increases in viscosity when combined with water and reacts with proteins to have an emulsifying effect, making the emulsion stable.

Items	Specifications	Results
Appearance	Yellowish to tan powder	conforms
Viscosity (1.5%), mpa.s	≥5	171
Gel strength (1.5%), g/cm²	≥800	1200
Loss on drying, %	≤12.0	7.4
PH Value	5-10	7.3
Light transmittance (1.5%), T%	---	95
Through 80 mesh, %	≥80	conforms
Arsenic(As) (mg/kg)	≤3	0.17
Lead (Pb) (mg/kg)	≤3	0.19
Salmonella (/25g)	Negative	Negative

Products Application

The agar from the Rhodophyta family has strong stability and the dry powder does not degrade easily when left for a long time. It is also stable in neutral and alkaline solutions, and will not hydrolyze even when heated. However, in acidic solutions (especially when the pH value is ≤ 4.0), the agar from Rhodophyta is prone to acid hydrolysis, resulting in a decrease in gel strength and viscosity. It is worth noting that even under neutral conditions, if the agar from Rhodophyta is heated at high temperatures for a long time, it will also hydrolyze, leading to a decrease in gel strength. All types of agar from Rhodophyta can dissolve in hot water and hot milk. Dissolved in hot water, it can form a viscous transparent or slightly milky white, easily flowing solution. The agar from Rhodophyta can only absorb water and expand in cold water but cannot dissolve.
Based on the properties of agar from Rhodophyta, it is usually used as a thickener, gelling agent, suspending agent, emulsifier and stabilizer in the food industry. The production and application of these agar from Rhodophyta are closely related to their rheological properties, and thus accurately understanding the rheological properties of agar from Rhodophyta and their changes under various conditions is of great significance for production.