Tag: Marine polysaccharides

Carrageenan is a linear sulfated polysaccharide extracted almost exclusively from red algae. Despite common confusion, brown algae do not contain carrageenan, but instead produce other polysaccharides like alginate and fucoidan. This distinction is critical for understanding the source and function of these different marine hydrocolloids used across the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Fucoidan was first isolated in 1913 from a species of brown algae. Fucoidan is primarily found in the cell walls of brown seaweeds and certain marine invertebrates, and its properties vary widely depending on the source. Commercially extracted from species such as *Fucus vesiculosus* and *Undaria pinnatifida*, this sulfated polysaccharide is prized for its diverse biological activities.

In 1881, alginate was first discovered by an English chemist, E.C.C. Standford, through an alkaline extraction of brown seaweed. This history confirms that alginate does indeed contain seaweed, specifically sourced from the cell walls of brown algae to produce a highly useful biopolymer.