noun
- salts of alginic acid derived from seaweed, used in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications as thickening, gelling, or stabilizing agents
Usage: technical; chemistry
Examples
- Alginates are commonly used to thicken ice cream and prevent ice crystals from forming.
- The dental impression was made using alginates mixed with water.
- Food manufacturers add alginates to salad dressings as stabilizers.
- Alginates extracted from brown seaweed have many commercial uses.
- The pharmaceutical company uses alginates in tablet coatings.
- Sodium alginate is one of the most widely used alginates in the food industry.