Product name : Sodium Alginate

CAS # : 9005-38-3

Items                               Properties

Chemical formula         (C₆H₇NaO₆)_n /NaC₆H₇O₆
Formula weight             222 g/mol
Appearance                   white to yellowish brown filamentous, grainy, granular or powdered forms                 
Loss on drying              ≤ 15% (105°, 4h)
Water-insoluble            ≤ 2% on the dried basis
Arsenic                           ≤ 3 mg/kg
Lead                               ≤ 5 mg/kg
Solubility                         Dissolves slowly in water, forming a viscous solution; insoluble in ethanol and ether
Assay                              on the dried basis, not less than 18.0% and not more than 21.0% of carbon dioxide (CO2), equivalent to not less than 90.8% and not more than 106.0%

Characteristics and Application :

Sodium alginate is the sodium salt of alginic acid. Its form as a gum, when extracted from the cell walls of brown algae, is used by the foods industry to increase viscosity and as an emulsifier.

Alginates are extracted from brown seaweed and are available in sodium, ammonium and potassium derivatives. They are soluble in both hot and cold water, and can thicken and bind.  In the presence of calcium and an acid some alginates can form resilient gels. 

Sodium alginate works as a cold gelling agent that needs no heat to gel. It gels in the presence of calcium compounds. Most commonly used with calcium chloride to make caviar and spheres. It dilutes while cold with strong agitation. Heat is not needed to produce spherification. Sodium alginate can also be used to produce foams.

Uses :

Stabilizer, thickener, gelling agent, emulsifier