Sea Vegetable (Seaweed) and Algae FAQs
What is carrageenan and what is it used for?
Carrageenan, or carrageenan gum, is a derivative of Irish Moss or red algae that is used as a natural stabilizer, binding agent, and emulsifier.
What part of the world is your carrageenan sourced from?
Our carrageenan is primarily sourced from the Philippines, where an estimated 80% of the world supply is harvested and processed.
Is carrageenan considered safe to use topically or orally, as in toothpaste?
Yes. Food-grade carrageenan is different from, and should not be confused with, degraded carrageenan, which is a known carcinogen.
Are your seaweed and algae products tested for heavy metals?
Yes, every lot of seaweed and algae raw material passes state-of-the-art heavy metals testing to screen against potentially harmful levels of these toxic metals
Are your seaweed and algae products tested for microbial contamination?
Yes, every lot of seaweed and algae raw material passes microbiological testing to screen against potentially harmful levels of these undesirable organisms and the presence of pathogens.
Is there a risk of your seaweed and algae products being contaminated by radiation from Japan or being irradiated as a sterilization technique?
No. These foods were sourced far from Fukushima and its prevailing ocean currents, and it is illegal to use irradiation as a food processing method to sterilize raw materials used in dietary supplements in the U.S. or Natural Health Products in Canada.
To confirm the safety of our Organic Chlorella, Kelp powder, Organic Spirulina, and Carrageenan we tested each of them with our sophisticated PSL instrument, which can detect signatures of prior radiation exposures. The results were that these products did not test positive for irradiation.
