carrageenan

noun

car·​ra·​geen·​an ˌker-ə-ˈgē-nən 

ˌka-rə-

variants or carrageenin

: a colloid extracted from various red algae (such as Irish moss) and used especially as a stabilizing or thickening agent

Examples of carrageenan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Designed for kids aged six months to six years, the products are safe-to-swallow, carrageenan and fluoride-free and Leaping Bunny Certified. —Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025

This same principle allows ingredients like guar gum and carrageenan to help keep ice cream smooth in the freezer by preventing stray bits of liquid water from joining slow-growing ice crystals. —Ali Bouzari, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

Sea moss, often referred to as Irish moss or carrageenan moss, has quickly become a standout in the holistic health world due to its wide-ranging benefits for the body. —Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025

Some Contain Emulsifiers Some brands of almond milk contain carrageenan. —Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 3 Feb. 2025

Some almond milk may contain carrageenan, a controversial additive that some claim is associated with digestive symptoms and inflammation. —Jonathan Purtell, Verywell Health, 2 Jan. 2025

In recent years, concerns have been raised over the use of the carrageenan as an ingredient in soy milk. —Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2024

The ice cream is high in milk fat at 16 percent, low in air and all natural, meaning free of corn syrup, carrageenan and other additives often found in ice cream. —Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2024

For example, some emulsifiers, such as lecithin, guar gum, and carrageenan, prevent large ice crystals from forming in ice cream. —Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Ld, Verywell Health, 27 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

carrageen + -an entry 3 or -in entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for carrageenan

• catenin
• renin

Kids Definition

carrageenan

noun

car·​ra·​geen·​an

variants or carrageenin

ˌkar-ə-ˈgē-nən 

: a substance obtained from various red algae (as Irish moss) that is used in foods especially to stabilize and thicken them

Medical Definition

carrageenan

noun

car·​ra·​geen·​an

variants also carrageenin or carragheenan

ˌkar-ə-ˈgē-nən 

: a typically gel-forming polysaccharide extracted from various red algae (such as Irish moss) and used especially as a suspending agent (as in foods) and as a clarifying agent (as for beverages) and in controlling crystal growth in frozen confections