Kappaphycus alvarezii as semirefined carrageenan. "K. alvarezii" is affected by ice-ice, a disease that severely reduces its yield. This alga is an introduced species and a noxious aquatic weed in Hawaii. Kappaphycus alvarezii Kappaphycus alvarezii, the elkhorn sea moss, is a species of red algae. It is one of the most important commercial sources of carrageenans, a family of gel-forming, viscosifying polysaccharides. Farming methods affect the character of the carrageenan that can be extracted from the seaweed. This alga grows to two meters long and is green or yellow in color. It is very fast-growing, known to double its biomass in 15
Carrageenan heterogeneously processed and still be sold under the EU refined specification. There are two basic grades of carrageenan: refined carrageenan (RC) and semi-refined carrageenan (SRC). In the United States both grades are labeled as carrageenan. In the European Union, refined carrageenan is designated by the E number E-407, and semi-refined carrageenan as E-407a. Refined carrageenan has a 2% maximum for acid insoluble material and is produced through an alcohol precipitation process or potassium chloride gel press process. Semi-refined carrageenan contains a much higher level of cellulosic content and is produced in a less complex process. Indonesia, the Philippines, and Chile