Commission Directive 2008/84/EC (repealed)Show full title

E 407 CARRAGEENAN

Synonyms	Products of commerce are sold under different names such as:
	Irish moss gelose
	Eucheuman (from Eucheuma spp.)
	Iridophycan (from Iridaea spp.)
	Hypnean (from Hypnea spp.)
	Furcellaran or Danish agar (from Furcellaria fastigiata)
	Carrageenan (from Chondrus and Gigartina spp.)
Definition	Carrageenan is obtained by aqueous extraction of natural strains of seaweeds of Gigartinaceae, Solieriaceae, Hypneaceae and Furcellariaceae, families of the class Rhodophyceae (red seaweeds). No organic precipitant shall be used other than methanol, ethanol and propane-2-ol. Carrageenan consists chiefly of the potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium salts of polysaccharide sulphate esters which, on hydrolysis, yield galactose and 3,6-anhydrogalactose. Carrageenan shall not be hydrolysed or otherwise chemically degraded
Einecs	232-524-2
Description	Yellowish to colourless, coarse to fine powder which is practically odourless
Identification
A. Positive tests for galactose, for anhydrogalactose and for sulphate
Purity
Methanol, ethanol propane-2-ol content	Not more than 0,1 % singly or in combination
Viscosity of a 1,5 % solution at 75 oC	Not less than 5 mPa.s
Loss on drying	Not more than 12 % (105 oC, four hours)
Sulphate	Not less than 15 % and not more than 40 % on the dried basis (as SO4)
Ash	Not less than 15 % and not more than 40 % determined on the dried basis at 550 oC
Acid-insoluble ash	Not more than 1 % on the dried basis (insoluble in 10 % hydrochloric acid)
Acid-insoluble matter	Not more than 2 % on the dried basis (insoluble in 1 % v/v sulphuric acid)
Low molecular weight carrageenan (Molecular weight fraction below 50 kDa)	Not more than 5 %
Arsenic	Not more than 3 mg/kg
Lead	Not more than 5 mg/kg
Mercury	Not more than 1 mg/kg
Cadmium	Not more than 1 mg/kg
Total plate count	Not more than 5 000 colonies per gram
Yeast and moulds	Not more than 300 colonies per gram
E. coli	Negative in 5 g
Salmonella spp.	Negative in 10 g