Ingredient Index · E407

Is Carrageenan banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No. Food-grade carrageenan (E407) is authorized across the EU food supply; the EU's one prohibition is in infant formula, and the "banned in Europe" claim usually confuses it with degraded carrageenan, which both jurisdictions ban.

E-number: E407CAS: 9000-07-1 Also seen as: Irish Moss Extract, E407

What the EU does

Authorized. Carrageenan (a thickener extracted from red seaweed) is a permitted EU additive (E407) under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, used in dairy, desserts, and plant milks exactly as in the US. The single EU prohibition: it may not be used in infant formula, a precaution based on the theoretical absorption profile of very young guts.

The internet version of this story usually conflates food-grade carrageenan with degraded carrageenan (poligeenan), a deliberately acid-hydrolyzed laboratory material that is a known animal carcinogen, and that is not permitted in food in the EU or the US. EFSA re-evaluated E407 in 2018, kept it authorized, and asked industry for tighter purity data.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (E407; not permitted in infant formula)

What the US does

Legal. The FDA permits carrageenan as a food additive (21 CFR 172.620) and considers it safe at typical use levels, including, on paper, in infant formula, though major US manufacturers voluntarily removed it from formula around 2014 under consumer pressure.

A long-running advocacy campaign sought its removal from USDA-organic foods; the National Organic Standards Board recommended delisting in 2016, but the USDA kept it on the approved list in 2018. The peer-reviewed safety reviews keep landing on the same conclusion: food-grade carrageenan is not degraded carrageenan.

Citation 21 CFR 172.620 (carrageenan)

Products that commonly contain it

Carrageenan provides body and keeps particles suspended. It appears in:

Almond, oat, and soy milks
Ice cream and frozen desserts
Deli meats and rotisserie products
Chocolate milk (it keeps the cocoa suspended)
Yogurt and cottage cheese
Vegan cheeses and meat alternatives

What to look for on a label

Simple to identify:

"Carrageenan" in the ingredient list, or "E407" on EU labels
"Irish moss extract" on some natural-positioned products
"Carrageenan-free" callouts on plant milks are a marketing response to the controversy, not a regulatory one

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Frequently asked questions

Is carrageenan banned in Europe?

No. E407 is authorized under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and is common in European dairy and plant milks. The only EU prohibition is in infant formula.

What is degraded carrageenan, and is that banned?

Degraded carrageenan (poligeenan) is an acid-processed laboratory substance, not a food ingredient, and it is a known animal carcinogen. It is not permitted in food in either the EU or the US. The viral "carrageenan is banned" claim almost always confuses the two.

Is carrageenan allowed in US infant formula?

Legally yes, but major manufacturers voluntarily removed it around 2014. The EU prohibits it in formula outright.

Does carrageenan cause gut inflammation?

Some cell and animal studies using high doses or degraded material reported inflammation; regulatory reviews of food-grade carrageenan at real-world exposures, including EFSA's 2018 re-evaluation, have not found a basis to remove it. EFSA did tighten purity expectations.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses