Additive · Carrier

E404 — Calcium alginate · page 2

E404 (Calcium alginate) appears in the ingredient lists of 74 products sold in the United Kingdom. Function: carrier, humectant, sequestrant, stabiliser, thickener.

74products with a complete record
25%rated A or B on Nutri-Score
1.4 gsugars per 100 g (median)
1.2 gsalt per 100 g (median)

Nutri-Score

How rated products spread
A 10%B 15%C 25%D 40%E 10%

60 rated products

Median values

Per 100 g, across all 74 products
Energy232 kcal
Sugars1.4 g
Saturates4.1 g
Salt1.2 g

Status in the United States (FDA)

Listed in the FDA inventory “Substances Added to Food”, with the regulations 21 CFR 184.1187.

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 9005-35-0 via Wikidata (CC0)