Carrageenan Side Effects

Carrageenan is a thickener / stabilizer with 2 high-severity side effects. Found in 24 products in our database. FDA GRAS.

5
Known Side Effects
24
Products Contain It
2
High Severity
4
Safer Alternatives

What Is Carrageenan?

Carrageenan is a thickener extracted from red seaweed, commonly found in dairy alternatives, ice cream, and processed foods. Multiple studies have linked it to intestinal inflammation and digestive distress.

Also known as:
E407Irish moss extractChondrus extract

Known Side Effects

High Risk Intestinal inflammation
Moderate Bloating and digestive discomfort
High Risk May trigger or worsen IBD/IBS symptoms
Moderate Potential tumor promotion
Moderate Immune system activation in the gut

Regulatory Status

🇺🇸 FDA Status

FDA GRAS. Widely used in dairy alternatives, ice cream, and processed foods.

🇪🇺 EU Status

Legal. Banned in infant formula in the EU.

Scientific References

  1. Tobacman (2001) — Environmental Health Perspectives review on carrageenan and GI inflammation
  2. Multiple animal studies showing intestinal lesions
  3. Cornucopia Institute petition to remove carrageenan from organic foods

Products Containing Carrageenan (24 found)

These products were found to contain carrageenan or its variants in our database of 26,000+ grocery products.

#ProductBrandScore
1Fit&active multigrain breadFit & Active5/100
2MAX PROTEIN NUTRITION SHAKE, MILK CHOCOLATEAbbott Laboratories Inc 7/100
3Premier ProteinPremier Protein7/100
4Seasoned rotisserie chickenKirkland12/100
5equate antiplaque whitenimg toothpasteUnknown12/100
6CREAMY MILK CHOCOLATE MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKE, CREAMY MILK CHOCOLATEWal-Mart Stores, Inc.24/100
7Costco Rotisserie ChickenKirkland24/100
8plant-based protein supplementEquate24/100
9GREAT VALUE, ORIGINAL SOYMILK ORGANICWal-Mart Stores, Inc.24/100
10GREAT VALUE, 8G PROTEIN PER CUP SOYMILKWal-Mart Stores, Inc.24/100
11costco chicken saladUnknown35/100
12Low Fat Yogurt TubesGreat Value45/100
13EVAPORATED MILKTarget Stores47/100
14EVAPORATED MILKTarget Stores50/100
15TIKKA MASALA SIMMER SAUCE, TIKKA MASALATarget Stores62/100

Safer Alternatives to Carrageenan

Gellan gumLocust bean gumGuar gumSunflower lecithin
📬

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the side effects of carrageenan?
Carrageenan has been linked to intestinal inflammation, bloating, digestive discomfort, IBD/IBS symptom worsening, and potential tumor promotion in animal studies.

⚕️ Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Side effect data is compiled from published scientific studies and regulatory assessments. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance. Last updated: 2026-03-05.

Other Ingredient Side Effects

Red 40 (Allura Red AC) Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow FCF) Red 3 (Erythrosine) Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF) Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine) Aspartame Sucralose Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) All Ingredient Side Effects Banned in Europe Ingredient Encyclopedia
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📋 Cite This Data
APACheckIt AI. (2026). "Carrageenan Side Effects — Health Risks, FDA Status & Products | CheckIt AI". Climaverse PBC. Retrieved from https://getcheck.it/side-effects/carrageenan
MLA"Carrageenan Side Effects — Health Risks, FDA Status & Products | CheckIt AI." CheckIt AI, Climaverse PBC, 2026-03-05. https://getcheck.it/side-effects/carrageenan.
HTML Embed<a href="https://getcheck.it/side-effects/carrageenan">Carrageenan Side Effects — Health Risks, FDA Status & Products | CheckIt AI — CheckIt AI</a>
BibTeX@misc{checkit2026sideeffectscarrageenan, title = {Carrageenan Side Effects — Health Risks, FDA Status & Products | CheckIt AI}, author = {CheckIt AI}, year = {2026}, publisher = {Climaverse PBC}, url = {https://getcheck.it/side-effects/carrageenan}, note = {Retrieved 2026-03-05} }