Food additive databasethickener / stabilizerChecked 2026-10-02

Potassium Alginate アルギン酸カリウム

Designated additivePermitted in the EU (E402)

Purpose: thickener / stabilizer
On the label: “増粘剤（アルギン酸K）” (thickener (potassium alginate)), “安定剤（アルギン酸K）” (stabilizer (potassium alginate)), “ゲル化剤（アルギン酸K）” (gelling agent (potassium alginate))
Name in the List of Designated Additives: アルギン酸カリウム (No. 37)

In Japan

The potassium salt of alginic acid, used to add thickness or hold shape (as a thickener/stabilizer). When it is used as a thickener, stabilizer, or gelling agent, it must be written together with its purpose name, as in “増粘剤（アルギン酸K）” (thickener (potassium alginate)).
Its short name is “アルギン酸K” (potassium alginate). There are no standards for use. In 2006 the Food Safety Commission of Japan (FSCJ) evaluated alginic acid and its salts and concluded that there is no need to set a group ADI for them.

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 E402.

When it is labeled under a shared name

Potassium Alginate 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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