Processed Eucheuma seaweed

Other names PES, E407A
Processed Eucheuma seaweed: high in FODMAPs; moderate in nickel; low in tyramine, salicylate and oxalates. If you're sensitive to any of these, check it against your profile before eating.
Intolerances
- FODMAPsHigh
Processed Eucheuma seaweed is the whole red alga milled rather than carrageenan extracted from it, so it keeps the fermentable fraction that extraction would have removed. That is the difference between this and refined carrageenan on this axis.
- NickelModerate
Processed Eucheuma seaweed is a thickener made from whole red algae rather than from extracted carrageenan, so it keeps more of what the seaweed absorbed. It is used in small amounts, which holds the level here. Seaweed is the reason nickel is asked about here at all: it concentrates trace elements from seawater, and the review behind this level is about exactly that load in seaweed and in the ingredients made from it.
Sources· 1
- Bouga M. & Combet E., Foods 4 (2015) 240-253, trace elements and contaminants in seaweed and seaweed-containing foods
- TyramineLow
Processed Eucheuma seaweed is milled red algae used as a thickener, not a fermented product. Seaweed concentrates minerals from seawater, which matters on the nickel axis; it does not make amines.
- SalicylateLow
A seaweed extract used as a thickener. Seaweed is low in salicylate to begin with, and processing lowers it further.
- OxalatesLow
Processed Eucheuma seaweed is milled red algae, used as a thickener at fractions of a percent. Whatever oxalate the source plant held, the amount reaching a portion is too small to register.
Sources· 1
- Noonan S.C. & Savage G.P., Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 8:1 (1999) 64-74, oxalate content of foods and its effect on humans
- LactoseFODMAPsNone
- Histamine (+liberators / DAO inhibitors)None
Processed Eucheuma seaweed (E407a) is the same red algae as carrageenan, less refined - the cell wall is left in, which is the whole difference. No histamine route. Being the less processed of the two does not change that, and does not make it the safer choice on any axis here. As with carrageenan, the inflammation question comes from animal work, so read it as a question rather than a finding.
Sources· 2
- Maintz & Novak, Am J Clin Nutr 2007
- Comas-Baste et al., Biomolecules 10:1181 (2020), for the absence of any documented histamine route
- GlutenNo
- FructoseFODMAPsNone
- OligosaccharidesFODMAPsNone
- SorbitolFODMAPsNone
- SucroseNone
Intolerance levels are based on our documented scientific sources. See sources →
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Frequently asked questions
Which intolerances does Processed Eucheuma seaweed affect?
Processed Eucheuma seaweed is notable for FODMAPs, nickel, tyramine, salicylate and oxalates. Clear on lactose, histamine, gluten, fructose, oligosaccharides, sorbitol and sucrose.
Does Processed Eucheuma seaweed contain FODMAPs?
Yes — Processed Eucheuma seaweed is high in FODMAPs. Processed Eucheuma seaweed is the whole red alga milled rather than carrageenan extracted from it, so it keeps the fermentable fraction that extraction would have removed. That is the difference between this and refined carrageenan on this axis.
Does Processed Eucheuma seaweed contain nickel?
Processed Eucheuma seaweed contains moderate levels of nickel. Processed Eucheuma seaweed is a thickener made from whole red algae rather than from extracted carrageenan, so it keeps more of what the seaweed absorbed. It is used in small amounts, which holds the level here. Seaweed is the reason nickel is asked about here at all: it concentrates trace elements from seawater, and the review behind this level is about exactly that load in seaweed and in the ingredients made from it.
Does Processed Eucheuma seaweed contain tyramine?
Processed Eucheuma seaweed contains only low levels of tyramine. Processed Eucheuma seaweed is milled red algae used as a thickener, not a fermented product. Seaweed concentrates minerals from seawater, which matters on the nickel axis; it does not make amines.
Does Processed Eucheuma seaweed contain salicylate?
Processed Eucheuma seaweed contains only low levels of salicylate. A seaweed extract used as a thickener. Seaweed is low in salicylate to begin with, and processing lowers it further. Amounts vary by brand and recipe, so always check the label of the exact product.
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