alginic acid
English
editEtymology
editPronunciation
editNoun
editalginic acid (plural alginic acids)
- (biochemistry) An insoluble colloidal acid (C6H8O6)n that in the form of its salts is a constituent of the cell walls of brown algae and is used as a food additive.
- 1955, Rachel Carson, chapter 2, in The Edge of the Sea[1], Boston: Houghton Mifflin, page 17:
- For the long-stalked kelps that sway in dusky forests just below the level of the spring tides, survival in the surf zone is largely a matter of chemistry. Their tissues contain large amounts of alginic acid and its salts, which create a tensile strength and elasticity able to withstand the pulling and pounding of the waves.
Synonyms
edit- (thickener, stabiliser, gelling agent, emulsifier): E400
Derived terms
editTranslations
editcolloidal acid
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References
edit- “alginic acid”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.