Is e403 vegan?

E403 is the European food additive code for ammonium alginate, a salt of alginic acid used primarily as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent. It is produced by extracting alginic acid from various species of brown seaweed, such as giant kelp, and neutralizing it with ammonia. Food manufacturers commonly use ammonium alginate in items such as bakery fillings, frozen desserts, sauces, processed fruit preparations, and canned foods to improve texture and control moisture.

This ingredient is vegan because its production relies entirely on marine algae and synthetic or mineral inputs. The harvesting and refining processes extract the required polysaccharides from plant-like brown seaweeds, and no animal-derived processing aids or byproducts are used at any stage of manufacturing. As a result, products containing E403 are fully suitable for individuals following a vegan diet.