62 MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



viscosities of Irish moss extractive will run from 50 to 2500 centipoises at 104° F 

 (40° C) in a 2.0 per cent solution; the viscosity of Gelidium agar of the same 

 concentration is usuallv below 50 when the temperature is 104° to 113° F (40° to 

 45° C). 



Pfister (1941) and Blihovde (1941) have pointed out in patents the manu- 

 facturing procedures that affect viscosity. Bungenberg-de Jong and Gwan (1929), 

 who studied the effect of electrolytes upon the viscosity of carrageenin, found that 

 the valence of the cation is of great importance and that as little as one miUiequiva- 

 lent of an electrolyte causes a detectable decrease in viscosity. Gutbier and Huber 

 (1922) found that there was a progressive decrease in viscosity with the addition 

 of HCl, NaOH, or NaCl; when a concentration of about 0.12N was reached, 

 further addition of the electrolyte did not affect viscosity. The maximum amount 

 of an electrolyte that is effective is related to the concentration of the colloid. 



According to Stoloff (1948b), for temperatures above 104° F (40° C) the 

 viscosity of carrageenin solutions is related to temperature by the following 

 formula: 



T2 = A -46,000 log V 

 where: T = temp, in ° F 

 V = viscosity 



A = constant dependent on sample 

 and units employed 



Below 104° F (40° C) incipient gelation is usually a contributing factor to the 

 viscosity of carrageenin solutions. 



Types of Carrageenin Products and Their Uses. Most of the Irish moss extrac- 

 tives no\v produced are used in the making of prepared foods, cosmetics, and 

 pharmaceuticals. The value of carrageenin and other seaweed colloids in these 

 products is due to their remarkable thickening, suspending, emulsifying, gelling, 

 and stabilizing powers. 



The properties of Irish moss extractives can be greatly modified, not only by 

 the method used in manufacture, but by ( 1 ) the amount and kind of inorganic 

 salts which it contains, (2) the amount and kind of other organic compounds 

 (e.g., dextrose, sucrose, etc.) which it contains, and (3) its relative acidity 

 (the pH of its aqueous solutions). 



Several American companies ** manufacture and market both unstandardized 

 Irish moss extractives and specially prepared products designed for particular 

 uses. They market these Irish moss extractives under various trade-marks, some 

 of which are the following: "Carragar", "Carragarenin", "Gelcarin", "Gelloid", 

 "Kimgel", "Krim-Ko" gel, "Krim-Ko" tendergel, "Krim-KoUoid", and "Viscarin". 



At present the most important use of Irish moss extractives is as a stabilizer in 

 chocolate milk. It also finds extensive use in other food products: various prepared 

 cheeses, ice creams and ice cream toppings, sherbets, salad dressings, fruit syrups, 

 flavoring emulsions in bakery products (especially icings and pie fillings), milk 

 puddings and other desserts, jellied poultry and fish, aspic gels, jellied consomme, 

 and confectionery. Other uses include making various pharmaceuticals (especially 



*" Important manufacturers of Irish moss extract include: Algin Corp. of America, 

 New York City; Krim-Ko Corp., Chicago; Jacques Wolf and Co., Passaic, N. J., and 

 Kraft Foods Co., Chicago. 



