E401 — Sodium alginate
E401 (sodium alginate) appears in the ingredient lists of 47 products sold in Ireland. Function: carrier, emulsifier, humectant, sequestrant, stabiliser, thickener.
Nutri-Score
40 rated products
Median values
| Energy | 254 kcal |
| Sugars | 3.3 g |
| Saturates | 5.8 g |
| Salt | 0.82 g |
Categories
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)
Products containing it, by country
Products listing this additive in each country edition of Shelfpedia (Open Food Facts data)
| Country | Products |
|---|---|
| United States | 3,408 |
| France | 2,476 |
| Germany | 591 |
| Spain | 368 |
| Italy | 365 |
| United Kingdom | 349 |
| Belgium | 255 |
| Switzerland | 230 |
| Netherlands | 213 |
| Australia | 104 |
| Canada | 101 |
| Poland | 100 |
| Mexico | 76 |
| Norway | 75 |
| Finland | 52 |
| Sweden | 51 |
| Portugal | 50 |
| Austria | 48 |
| Bulgaria | 47 |
| Ireland | 47 |
| Romania | 43 |
| New Zealand | 40 |
| Bolivia | 36 |
| Argentina | 31 |
| Denmark | 26 |
Products
47 products, most viewed first.
Source: Open Food Facts export of 23 October 2026, ODbL · Shelfpedia calculations (medians, distributions).