Sodium alginate is the sodium salt of alginic acid, a natural polysaccharide found in brown algae. It is generally used as a stabilizer and thickener in the food industry. Sodium alginate may undergo cross-linking in the presence of divalent cations such as Ca2+ to form biodegradable stable gels, which finds applications as a material for cell encapsulation and immobilization. |
Synonyms: Sodium alginate; Source: synthetic |