日本語
Food additive databasethickener / stabilizerChecked 2026-10-02

Alginic Acid アルギン酸

Existing food additivePermitted in the EU (E400)
Purpose
thickener / stabilizer
On the label
“増粘剤（アルギン酸）” (thickener (alginic acid)), “安定剤（アルギン酸）” (stabilizer (alginic acid)), “ゲル化剤（アルギン酸）” (gelling agent (alginic acid)), “増粘多糖類” (thickening polysaccharides)
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives
アルギン酸 (No. 22)
Source and production
The polysaccharide alginic acid (alternative name: “昆布類粘質物”, kelp mucilage). The specifications and standards set the content at 91.0 to 104.5% on a dried basis.

In Japan

  • The polysaccharide alginic acid, used as a thickener/stabilizer. There are no standards for use. Its salts, such as sodium alginate, are designated additives and separate items.
  • When used as a thickener, stabilizer, or gelling agent, the purpose name must be shown with it. The alternative name is “昆布類粘質物” (kelp mucilage). When two or more thickener/stabilizer polysaccharides are used, they can be grouped as “増粘多糖類” (thickening polysaccharides).

Japan's standards for use

There are no standards for use that limit which foods or how much (the general standards for all additives still apply).

This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.

In the EU

  • It is on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II) as E400.

When it is labeled under a shared name

Alginic Acid may be declared on the label in the same way as “増粘剤・安定剤・ゲル化剤”. See Thickener / stabilizer / gelling agent for details.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.

This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.

Other substances used as thickener / stabilizer

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