E406 — Agar
E406 (Agar) appears in the ingredient lists of 2,779 products sold in the United States. Function: carrier, emulsifier, humectant, stabilizer, thickener.
Nutri-Score
2,523 rated products
Median values
| Calories | 363 kcal |
| Sugars | 28.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.6 g |
| Salt | 0.62 g |
Categories
- Cakes1,147
- Yogurts182
- Pastries146
- Confectioneries114
- Snacks100
- Biscuits94
- Frozen desserts57
- Doughnuts24
Status in the United States (FDA)
Listed in the FDA inventory “Substances Added to Food”, with the regulations 21 CFR 184.1115.
Technical effects listed by the FDA: emulsifier or emulsifier salt, flavor enhancer, processing aid, stabilizer or thickener, surface-finishing 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 9002-18-0 via Wikidata (CC0)
Products containing it, by country
Products listing this additive in each country edition of Shelfpedia (Open Food Facts data)
Products
2,779 products, most viewed first · page 1 of 58.
Source: Open Food Facts export of 23 October 2026, ODbL, and USDA FoodData Central, April 2026 release, CC0 · Shelfpedia calculations (medians, distributions).