CleanFoodScore.
← All additive guides

Additive guides · Product label guide

Is carrageenan bad for you? What EFSA, the FDA rule and IARC say.

Updated

Carrageenan is a seaweed-derived thickener. What the FDA regulation allows, EFSA’s 2018 temporary group ADI and its concerns, the IARC distinction between native and degraded carrageenan, and catalog products that list it.

Quick answer

Carrageenan is a thickener and stabilizer extracted from red seaweed. The FDA regulation 21 CFR 172.620 allows it in food. EFSA’s 2018 re-evaluation kept a group acceptable daily intake of 75 mg per kg of body weight but called it temporary, asking for better data within five years, and raised concern about the low molecular weight fraction. IARC’s list puts native carrageenan in Group 3 (not classifiable) and degraded carrageenan, called poligeenan, in Group 2B; poligeenan is not a food additive.

FDA rule
21 CFR 172.620
EFSA 2018
Temporary group ADI, 75 mg/kg
IARC native
Group 3
IARC degraded (poligeenan)
Group 2B, not a food additive

Your avoid list

Comparison tables and product pages use your saved list. Search products

01 · A closer look

What carrageenan is and the FDA rule.

Under 21 CFR 172.620, carrageenan is a refined hydrocolloid made by aqueous extraction from specified red seaweeds, including Chondrus crispus and Eucheuma species, and a sulfated polysaccharide with 20 to 40 percent sulfate. It may be safely used in food as an emulsifier, stabilizer or thickener in the amount needed, and must be labeled “carrageenan”.

21 CFR 172.620: carrageenan

02 · A closer look

EFSA’s 2018 re-evaluation.

EFSA’s panel kept the group acceptable daily intake of 75 mg per kg of body weight per day for carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) but classed it as temporary, to be revisited when the database is improved within five years. It found that most toxicity studies did not describe the molecular weight distribution of the material tested, that drinking-water studies were of limited relevance, and that links to inflammatory bowel disease and glucose intolerance were unclear. It said the low molecular weight fraction may carry risks similar to degraded carrageenan, though equivalence has not been shown, and recommended narrower specifications and a method to measure that fraction. In its refined brand-loyal exposure scenario, high-end intakes exceeded the temporary ADI, which the panel said may be overestimated.

EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings: re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives, EFSA Journal 16(4):e05238 (Apr 26, 2018)

03 · A closer look

What IARC classes.

IARC’s official list classifies native carrageenan in Group 3, not classifiable, and degraded carrageenan, or poligeenan, in Group 2B, both from Volume 31 and Supplement 7 (1987). EFSA describes poligeenan as a low-molecular-weight form that is not authorised as a food additive and that caused intestinal effects in animal studies, which is why the two should not be confused.

IARC Monographs: agents classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1 to 123 (official list)

04 · A closer look

Reading the label.

Carrageenan must be listed by name (E407 in the EU). This site flags it because many shoppers avoid it, not because a regulator has restricted it. The products below name carrageenan on their recorded label, picked across shelves; open any for the full statement and verification date.

The short answer

Our picks for is carrageenan bad for you?

No pick yetEvery scored is carrageenan bad for you? label lists at least one of the groups we check, so nothing here earns a pick.

Clear noOur Specialty Vanilla Shortbread Cookies with Vanilla Buttrcreme Dessert Dippers (lists seed oils, artificial dyes, carrageenan, artificial preservatives and banned-abroad additives), Coffee mate The Original Coffee Creamer (lists seed oils, carrageenan and corn syrups), Signature Select Baked Macaroni & Cheese (lists seed oils, carrageenan and artificial preservatives), plus 19 more with a listed group.

Ranked from 22 of 22 products with current labels. Every product is in the table below; a score reflects labels and claims, not nutrition, allergies or safety.

Compare the recorded labels

Find the ingredients that matter to you.

22 of 22 products

“No …” columns: None found on the label · Listed on the label · Unknown. Diet fit: Fits · Doesn’t fit · Unknown (rules; not medical advice). Claims: verified · not established. Default: most check marks first; not a health score.

Compare product claims and recorded ingredients. Click a column heading to sort.
Buy
92 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · organicProduct details →5
78 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · organic not applicableProduct details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
55 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
55 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimFind where to buy ↗Product details →4
53 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
53 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
53 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
53 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
53 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimFind where to buy ↗Product details →4
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →4
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
31 / 1004 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
How the clean score works

No setup needed, and strict: a full 100 needs every additive group clear and a verified organic claim (animal foods also need a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim; wild seafood and salt, which have no USDA organic standard, are scored without the organic points, and plant-based milks, cheeses and proteins without the feeding claim). Points: the nine additive groups (seed oils, artificial dyes, MSG, artificial sweeteners, carrageenan, artificial preservatives, hydrogenated oils, corn syrups, banned-abroad additives) share 60 points equally — not found earns a group’s full share, “may contain” earns half, listed earns 0; a verified organic claim is worth 25; a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim is worth 15 and counts only for animal foods. No claim, or an expired or unverified claim, earns nothing, so products without those claims cannot reach 100. Unverified or expired ingredient labels receive no score. Equal scores are equal. Ties are ordered by brand. Unknown and stale evidence never passes “Only show matches.” Producer claims and prices do not affect this score. This is not a nutrition, allergy, or safety rating.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying links do not influence ingredient results. “Buy on Amazon” opens a reviewed product listing; “Find where to buy” opens the maker’s page. Confirm the package, seller, stock, and current price before checkout. Price observations expire after 30 days.

Primary sources

Sources

  1. 21 CFR 172.620: carrageenan law.cornell.edu
  2. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings: re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives, EFSA Journal 16(4):e05238 (Apr 26, 2018) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. IARC Monographs: agents classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1 to 123 (official list) monographs.iarc.who.int

Your next comparison

Food additives to avoidUltra-processed foodsCreamersDairy alternatives: plant milks