alginic acid
1
7.0
- noun
- /ælˈdʒɪnɪk ˈæsɪd/
- Specialized
- Ice cream manufacturers often add alginic acid to improve texture and prevent ice crystals from forming.
Examples
-
The pharmaceutical industry uses alginic acid as a binding and stabilizing agent in tablets.
-
As a naturally derived thickener, alginic acid is widely accepted in vegan food products.
-
The recipe calls for alginic acid as a thickener.
-
Many food products contain alginic acid for texture.
-
Ice cream manufacturers often add alginic acid to improve texture and prevent ice crystals from forming.
-
The pharmaceutical industry uses alginic acid as a binding and stabilizing agent in tablets.
-
As a naturally derived thickener, alginic acid is widely accepted in vegan food products.
Synonyms
2
6.8
A substance made from seaweed used to thicken or form gels in food and medicine
2
6.8
A jelly like substance from seaweed used to grow bacteria and thicken food
1
7.2
A jelly made from seaweed that makes food firm and helps grow bacteria in labs
1
8.7
A thick, jelly-like substance from brown seaweed used to make food and other products thicker
1
8.6
A soft, jellylike extract from red seaweed used to thicken food and medicine
Surface Forms
Morphology
alginic + acid
The element 'acid' signals a chemical substance, and 'alginic' is a derived form relating to algae/alginate, so a learner might guess it is a seaweed-related chemical. However, 'alginic' is a technical, low-frequency adjective and the precise sense (a gelatinous polysaccharide used as a thickener/emulsifier) requires domain knowledge, so the meaning is only partially predictable.
Etymology
Alginic acid is named after algae, the brown seaweed it comes from, and the word acid, because it is a chemical. When the seaweed is treated it turns into a jelly, so alginic acid is used to 'thicken' foods and help medicines hold together.