These are the salts of alginic acid, a hydrophilic colloidal carbohydrate extracted by the use of dilute alkali from various species of brown seaweeds. These salts are generally odorless and tasteless. Alginic acid is a linear glycuronoglycan consisting
mainly of β-(1→4) linked D-mannuronic acid and L-glycuronic acid units in the pyranose ring form
Landwirtschaftliche Anwendung
Alginates are a type of commercially exploited seaweed
hydrocolloids, the other two being agars and
carrageenam, which are also important hydrophilic
colloids.
