E401 — Sodium alginate

Status in the United States (FDA)

Listed in the FDA inventory “Substances Added to Food”, with the regulations 21 CFR 173.310, 184.1724.

Technical effects listed by the FDA: emulsifier or emulsifier salt, firming agent, flavor enhancer, formulation aid, processing aid, stabilizer or thickener, surface-active agent, texturizer

The inventory is a partial list, and a listing is not an FDA approval of every use; the regulations set the permitted uses.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Substances Added to Food (updated 9/8/2026), public domain · CAS 9005-38-3 via Wikidata (CC0)