Sodium alginate

Sodium alginate

The chemical compound sodium alginate is the sodium salt of alginic acid. Its empirical chemical formula is NaC6H7O6. 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. It is also used in indigestion tablets and the preparation of dental impressions. Sodium alginate has no discernible flavor.

Another major use of sodium alginate is reactive dye printing, where it is used in the textile industry.

Uses

A major application for sodium alginate is as thickener for reactive dyestuffs (such as the Procion cotton-reactive dyes) in textile screen-printing and carpet jet-printing. Alginates do not react with these dyes and wash out easily, unlike starch-based thickeners.

Sodium alginate is a good chelator for pulling radioactive toxins such as iodine-131 and strontium-90 from the body which have taken the place of their non-radioactive counterparts. [Sutton, A., Harrison, G. E., Carr, T. E., and Barltrop, D. Reduction in the absorption of dietary strontium in children by an alginate derivative. Br.J.Radiol. 44 [523] , 567. 1971] [Sutton, A., Harrison, B. E., Carr, T. E., and Barltrop, D. Reduction in the absorption of dietary strontium in children by an alginate derivative. Int.J.Radiat.Biol.Relat Stud.Phys.Chem.Med. 19 [1] , 79-85. 1971] It is also used in immobilizing enzymes by inclusion.

As a food additive, sodium alginate is used especially in the production of gel-like foods. For example, bakers' "Chellies" are often gelled alginate "jam." Also, the pimento stuffing in prepared cocktail olives is usually injected as a slurry at the same time that the stone is ejected; the slurry is subsequently set by immersing the olive in a solution of a calcium salt which causes rapid gelation by electrostatic cross-linking. A similar process can be used to make "chunks" of everything from cat food through "reformed" ham or fish to "fruit" pieces for pies. It has the E-number 401.

It is also know as a harmless, inexpensive, but effective way to lower cholesterol, and also remove harmfull toxins.

References

External links

* [http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.10/start.html?pg=4 article] Wired on Easy Cheese, describing sodium alginate


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  • sodium alginate — n ALGIN (b) * * * [NF] a purified carbohydrate product extracted from brown seaweeds with dilute alkali; used as a suspending agent. It is also used for its emulsifying, stabilizing, thickening, and water binding qualities in foods, medicines,… …   Medical dictionary

  • sodium alginate — natrio alginatas statusas T sritis chemija formulė Formulę žr. priede. priedas( ai) Grafinis formatas atitikmenys: angl. sodium alginate; sodium polymannuronate rus. натрия альгинат …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • sodium alginate — noun : algin c * * * sodium alginate, a cream colored, powdery salt of algin obtained from kelp, used in making hand lotions and reducing pills, as a food preservative, and to thicken buttermilk and ice cream …   Useful english dictionary

  • Alginate De Sodium — Général Synonymes Polymannuronate sodique No CAS …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Alginate de sodium — Général Synonymes Polymannuronate sodique No CAS …   Wikipédia en Français

  • sodium polymannuronate — natrio alginatas statusas T sritis chemija formulė Formulę žr. priede. priedas( ai) Grafinis formatas atitikmenys: angl. sodium alginate; sodium polymannuronate rus. натрия альгинат …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Sodium carbonate — Sodium carbonate …   Wikipedia

  • Alginate — Acide alginique Alginate Acide alginique Général …   Wikipédia en Français

  • sodium — A metallic element, atomic no. 11, atomic wt. 22.989768; an alkali metal oxidizing readily in air or water; its salts are found in natural biologic systems and are extensively used in medicine and industry. The s. ion is the most plentiful… …   Medical dictionary

  • alginate — An irreversible hydrocolloid consisting of salts of alginic acid, a colloidal acid polysaccharide obtained from seaweed and composed of mannuronic acid residues; used in dental impression materials. * * * al·gi·nate al jə .nāt …   Medical dictionary

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