noun
- a salt of alginic acid derived from seaweed, used in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications
Usage: chemistry; food science
Examples
- Sodium alginate is commonly used as a thickening agent in ice cream.
- The dentist used alginate to make an impression of my teeth.
- Food manufacturers add alginate to salad dressings to improve texture.
- Alginate beads can encapsulate drugs for controlled release.
- The molecular gastronomy chef created caviar pearls using calcium alginate.
- Alginate dressings help wounds heal by maintaining moisture.