Carrageenan (INS 407)

Quick Facts

INS Number

407

E-Number

E407

Category

Stabiliser

Veg Status

Vegan

FSSAI Status

Permitted by FSSAI

JECFA ADI

Not specified (2014)

Composition

Not a single compound. Carrageenan is a family of polysaccharides extracted from red seaweed, mainly Kappaphycus alvarezii (formerly called Eucheuma cottonii), Eucheuma denticulatum (formerly E. spinosum), and Chondrus crispus (Irish moss). Commercial carrageenan comes in three forms named kappa, iota, and lambda that behave differently in food: kappa forms firm gels with potassium (used in jellies and dessert mixes), iota forms softer gels with calcium (used in dairy desserts), and lambda just thickens without gelling (used in dairy drinks and ice cream). The food-grade version is the long-chain, undegraded form, which is different from poligeenan (degraded carrageenan), a substance not permitted in food.

What is INS 407?

INS 407 is carrageenan, a thickener and stabiliser extracted from red seaweed. On Indian packs it shows up in flavoured milks, plant-based milks, ice creams, jellies, and processed cheese to give a smooth, set texture that doesn't separate when the carton sits in your fridge.

Why brands add it

Brands use it because a tiny amount can turn watery liquids into stable gels, stop the solids in dairy and plant-milk from settling at the bottom of the carton, and give kulfi and ice cream a smoother mouthfeel. Different fractions (kappa, iota, lambda) suit different recipes, some need brief heating to dissolve, others work in cold dairy.

Where you'll find it

INS 407 commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:

• flavoured milk and dairy beverages
• plant-based milks (soy, almond, oat)
• ice creams and kulfi
• jellies and dessert mixes
• whipped toppings
• processed cheese
• infant formula (separately regulated category)

Veg or non-veg? - Vegan

Carrageenan is extracted from red seaweed (a type of marine algae), so it is vegan. The seaweed is harvested, washed, and processed with alkali and water; no animal product is used in its manufacture.

FSSAI status and JECFA evaluation

FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI as a stabiliser and thickener under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 for specified food categories with category-specific upper limits. Use in infant formula is regulated separately under the FSS (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations 2020.

JECFA: Group ADI 'not specified' for carrageenan and processed Eucheuma seaweed, maintained at the 79th JECFA (2014). 'Not specified' means JECFA judged a numerical ADI was not considered necessary at expected use levels in food. The 79th meeting reversed JECFA's earlier 2007 stance and affirmed that use in infant formula at concentrations up to 1000 mg/L is not of concern. Some academic debate continues over whether food-grade carrageenan can cause gut inflammation at high intakes, but regulators (JECFA, EFSA, FSSAI) currently distinguish food-grade carrageenan from poligeenan (the degraded form) and maintain the permitted position.

Also known as

On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 407 is also called: