Processed Eucheuma Seaweed

How it's made

From red seaweed.

Processed eucheuma seaweed (PES), also called semi-refined carrageenan, is a less purified form of carrageenan made from specific red seaweeds. It does the same thickening and gelling jobs as carrageenan but retains more of the natural seaweed material, which suits products where a little cloudiness or fibre is acceptable.

It is made from Eucheuma and Kappaphycus seaweeds by treating them with a hot alkaline potassium solution, which modifies the carrageenan in place, and then washing and drying the seaweed rather than fully dissolving and re-precipitating the carrageenan. This "in situ" processing is simpler and keeps the carrageenan together with the insoluble seaweed fibre.

The treated seaweed is dried and milled into a powder that contains both carrageenan and residual plant fibre. Because it is less refined, it is cheaper and gives slightly different texture and clarity than fully refined carrageenan; it is used in similar dairy, meat and dessert applications and is likewise seaweed-derived and plant-based.