Carrageenan is a food additive used as a thickener and fat substitute in a variety of dairy and nondairy products. Concerns about potential intestinal tract damage are placed in the context of dietary consequences.
Is Carrageenan Safe?
4.4/5 - (88 votes)
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Six hundred years ago, people living along the coast of Carragheen County, Ireland started using a red algae, which became known as Irish moss, to make a jellied dessert, now the source of carrageenan, a food additive used as a thickener in dairy and nondairy products, as well as a fat substitute—perhaps most famously in the failed McLean Deluxe.
In 2008, I raised a concern about it. We had known for decades that carrageenan had harmful effects on laboratory animals, but this was the first study done on human cells to “suggest that [carrageenan] exposure may have a role in development of human intestinal pathology.”
But, that was all five years ago, though. What’s the update? Well, after the activation of inflammatory pathways was demonstrated in actual human colon tissue samples, Europe pulled it from infant formula, out of an abundance of caution.
The latest suggests carrageenan consumption could possibly lead to a leaky gut, by disrupting the integrity of the tight junctions that form around the cells lining our intestine, which form the barrier between the outside world and our bloodstream. This was an in vitro study, though, in a petri dish. We still don’t know what effects, carrageenan has, if any, in whole human beings. Some researchers advise consumers to err on the side of caution, and select food products without carrageenan, accusing the FDA of ignoring its “harmful potential.”
Personally, after having reviewed the available evidence, I continue to view carrageenan the way I view acrylamide, another potential, but not proven hazard. Acrylamide is a chemical formed by cooking carbs at high temperatures. So, should we avoid eating a lot of these foods, like the EPA suggests? Well, “Food safety concerns must also be considered…[in the context of dietary] consequences.”
Where’s it found the most? Already unhealthy foods. So, sure; use your concern about the probable carcinogen acrylamide as just another reason to avoid potato chips and French fries. But, until we know more, I wouldn’t cut out healthful foods, like whole-grain bread.
Similarly, I’d use potential concerns about carrageenan as additional motivation to avoid unhealthy foods. But, until we know more, I wouldn’t cut out more healthful foods—though I would suggest those with inflammatory bowel disease, or other gastrointestinal problems, try cutting out carrageenan, at least temporarily, to see if your symptoms improve.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- V. Sirot, F. Hommet, A. Tard, J.-C. Leblanc. Dietary acrylamide exposure of the French population: Results of the second French Total Diet Study. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2012 50(3 - 4):889 - 894
- M. S. Brewer. Reducing the fat content in ground beef without sacrificing quality: A review. Meat Sci. 2012 91(4):385 - 395
- World Health Organization. Evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2011 966:1 - 136
- B. Yang, S. Bhattacharyya, R. Linhardt, J. Tobacman. Exposure to common food additive carrageenan leads to reduced sulfatase activity and increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycans in human epithelial cells. Biochimie 2012 94(6):1309 - 1316
- A. Borthakur, S. Bhattacharyya, P. K. Dudeja, J. K. Tobacman. Carrageenan induces interleukin-8 production through distinct Bcl10 pathway in normal human colonic epithelial cells. Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 2007 292(3):G829 - G838
- H. J. Choi, J. Kim, S.-H. Park, K. H. Do, H. Yang, Y. Moon. Pro-inflammatory NF-κB and early growth response gene 1 regulate epithelial barrier disruption by food additive carrageenan in human intestinal epithelial cells. Toxicol. Lett. 2012 211(3):289 - 295
- D. R. Lineback, J. M. Jones. Acrylamide in Foods. Nutrition Today 2011 46(5):216-223
- S. Bhattacharyya, A. Borthakur, P. K. Dudeja, J. K. Tobacman. Carrageenan induces cell cycle arrest in human intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. J. Nutr. 2008 138(3):469 - 475
- P. P. Kirsch. Carrageenan: A safe additive. Environ. Health Perspect. 2002 110(6):A288
- J. K. Tobacman, S. Bhattacharyya, A. Borthakur, P. K. Dudeja. The carrageenan diet: Not recommended. Science 2008 321(5892):1040 - 1041
- P. Carthew. Safety of carrageenan in foods. Environ. Health Perspect. 2002 110(4):A176 - A177
- J. K. Tobacman. Review of harmful gastrointestinal effects of carrageenan in animal experiments. Environ Health Perspect. 2001 109(10):983-994.
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 1990. Training Manual on Gracilaria Culture and Seaweed Processing in China
- A. Trius, J. G. Sebranek. Carrageenans and their use in meat products. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1996 36(1-2):69-85.
- World Health Organization. 2007. Evaluations of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Carrageenan.
Images thanks to cquintin and stu_spivack via flickr, and National Cancer Institute via Wikimedia. Thanks to Ellen Reid for her Keynote help.
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Six hundred years ago, people living along the coast of Carragheen County, Ireland started using a red algae, which became known as Irish moss, to make a jellied dessert, now the source of carrageenan, a food additive used as a thickener in dairy and nondairy products, as well as a fat substitute—perhaps most famously in the failed McLean Deluxe.
In 2008, I raised a concern about it. We had known for decades that carrageenan had harmful effects on laboratory animals, but this was the first study done on human cells to “suggest that [carrageenan] exposure may have a role in development of human intestinal pathology.”
But, that was all five years ago, though. What’s the update? Well, after the activation of inflammatory pathways was demonstrated in actual human colon tissue samples, Europe pulled it from infant formula, out of an abundance of caution.
The latest suggests carrageenan consumption could possibly lead to a leaky gut, by disrupting the integrity of the tight junctions that form around the cells lining our intestine, which form the barrier between the outside world and our bloodstream. This was an in vitro study, though, in a petri dish. We still don’t know what effects, carrageenan has, if any, in whole human beings. Some researchers advise consumers to err on the side of caution, and select food products without carrageenan, accusing the FDA of ignoring its “harmful potential.”
Personally, after having reviewed the available evidence, I continue to view carrageenan the way I view acrylamide, another potential, but not proven hazard. Acrylamide is a chemical formed by cooking carbs at high temperatures. So, should we avoid eating a lot of these foods, like the EPA suggests? Well, “Food safety concerns must also be considered…[in the context of dietary] consequences.”
Where’s it found the most? Already unhealthy foods. So, sure; use your concern about the probable carcinogen acrylamide as just another reason to avoid potato chips and French fries. But, until we know more, I wouldn’t cut out healthful foods, like whole-grain bread.
Similarly, I’d use potential concerns about carrageenan as additional motivation to avoid unhealthy foods. But, until we know more, I wouldn’t cut out more healthful foods—though I would suggest those with inflammatory bowel disease, or other gastrointestinal problems, try cutting out carrageenan, at least temporarily, to see if your symptoms improve.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- V. Sirot, F. Hommet, A. Tard, J.-C. Leblanc. Dietary acrylamide exposure of the French population: Results of the second French Total Diet Study. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2012 50(3 - 4):889 - 894
- M. S. Brewer. Reducing the fat content in ground beef without sacrificing quality: A review. Meat Sci. 2012 91(4):385 - 395
- World Health Organization. Evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2011 966:1 - 136
- B. Yang, S. Bhattacharyya, R. Linhardt, J. Tobacman. Exposure to common food additive carrageenan leads to reduced sulfatase activity and increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycans in human epithelial cells. Biochimie 2012 94(6):1309 - 1316
- A. Borthakur, S. Bhattacharyya, P. K. Dudeja, J. K. Tobacman. Carrageenan induces interleukin-8 production through distinct Bcl10 pathway in normal human colonic epithelial cells. Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 2007 292(3):G829 - G838
- H. J. Choi, J. Kim, S.-H. Park, K. H. Do, H. Yang, Y. Moon. Pro-inflammatory NF-κB and early growth response gene 1 regulate epithelial barrier disruption by food additive carrageenan in human intestinal epithelial cells. Toxicol. Lett. 2012 211(3):289 - 295
- D. R. Lineback, J. M. Jones. Acrylamide in Foods. Nutrition Today 2011 46(5):216-223
- S. Bhattacharyya, A. Borthakur, P. K. Dudeja, J. K. Tobacman. Carrageenan induces cell cycle arrest in human intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. J. Nutr. 2008 138(3):469 - 475
- P. P. Kirsch. Carrageenan: A safe additive. Environ. Health Perspect. 2002 110(6):A288
- J. K. Tobacman, S. Bhattacharyya, A. Borthakur, P. K. Dudeja. The carrageenan diet: Not recommended. Science 2008 321(5892):1040 - 1041
- P. Carthew. Safety of carrageenan in foods. Environ. Health Perspect. 2002 110(4):A176 - A177
- J. K. Tobacman. Review of harmful gastrointestinal effects of carrageenan in animal experiments. Environ Health Perspect. 2001 109(10):983-994.
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 1990. Training Manual on Gracilaria Culture and Seaweed Processing in China
- A. Trius, J. G. Sebranek. Carrageenans and their use in meat products. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1996 36(1-2):69-85.
- World Health Organization. 2007. Evaluations of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Carrageenan.
Images thanks to cquintin and stu_spivack via flickr, and National Cancer Institute via Wikimedia. Thanks to Ellen Reid for her Keynote help.
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Title
Is Carrageenan Safe?
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Content URLDoctor's Note
Titanium dioxide is another additive used in nondairy substitutes. See Titanium Dioxide & Inflammatory Bowel Disease for the latest on its safety.
Other videos on food additives include:
- When Nitrites Go Bad
- Is Sodium Benzoate Harmful?
- Are Artificial Colors Bad for You?
- Is Potassium Sorbate Bad for You?
For more context, please refer to the following associated blog post: Should We Avoid Titanium Dioxide? and Should Carrageenan be Avoided?
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