9005-38-3 Sodium Alginate Polymer White Powder For Food Additive

Food And Health Grade Pesticide Intermediates Named Alginate Sodium

Alginate hydrogels can be prepared by various cross-linking methods, and their structural similarity to extracellular matrices of living tissues allows wide applications. The most common method to prepare hydrogels from an aqueous alginate solution is to combine the solution with ionic cross-linking agents, such as divalent cations (i.e., Ca2+).

Calcium chloride (CaCl2) is one of the most frequently used agents to ionically cross-link alginate. However, it typically leads to rapid and poorly controlled gelation due to its high solubility in aqueous solutions. One approach to slow and control gelation is to utilize a buffer containing phosphate (e.g., sodium hexametaphosphate), as phosphate groups in the buffer compete with carboxylate groups of alginate in the reaction with calcium ions, and delay gelation. Calcium sulfate (CaSO4) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3), due to their lower solubilities, can also slow the gelation rate and widen the working time for alginate gels. The gelation rate is a critical factor in controlling gel uniformity and strength when using divalent cations, and slower gelation produces more uniform structures and greater mechanical integrity. Finally, thermo-sensitive hydrogels have been widely investigated to date in many drug delivery applications, due to their adjustable swelling properties in response to temperature changes, leading to on-demand modulation of drug release from the gels.

Sodium alginate is used as a gel in pharmaceutical preparations. Sodium Alginate (E401) is extracted from brown seaweed. It is also used as a stabilizer, thickener and emulsifier for food products such as ice cream, yogurt, cream, and cheese. It is a cold gelling agent that needs no heat to gel.

When a pharmaceutical consisting mainly of a sodium alginate solution is swallowed, the viscous alginate solution adheres to the stomach wall. Iron and calcium in blood from stomach wall bleeding reacts with the alginate to form a soft gel.

Gels form when a calcium salt is added to a solution of sodium alginate in water. The gel forms by chemical reaction, the calcium displaces the sodium from the alginate, holds the long alginate molecules together and a gel is the result.

It contains 1000mg of sodium alginate/10ml. Alginate is a natural product derived from seaweed. The alginate reacts with the acid in the stomach to produce a “raft” on the stomach that acts as a physical barrier to reflux. It is the only non-surgical treatment that can physically prevent reflux disease.