Furcellaran

Seaweed gum (a natural phycocolloid) available as an odorless white powder, soluble in warm water. It form gels at low concentrations. Reputed to be more stable to heat and acids than other vegetable gums. Available in the form of salts.

F"rcellaT' such as Fastig z'ata seaweed of Rhodophyceae (F"Mellar'in) is dried in the sun, treated with alkali for 2 to 3 weeks, neutralized, washed, boiled, Extraction, centrifugal separation, adding 1% potassium chloride solution to the clear solution to form a gel, freezing at a 16 "C:, after dehydration, drying in a tunnel dryer at 70 ~ C:. The yield is 2.5% to 3.5% of the original algae, produced in the waters of Denmark, Norway and other countries.

Natural colloid, gelling agent, viscosity control agent used primarily in food products but also in pharmaceuticals.Also in products for diabetics, proprietaries for reducing excess body wt, toothpastes.As carrier for food preservatives, bactericides.In bacteriological culture media.